


[Esc] REALITY

by DrMintyFresh



Category: [Esc] REALITY
Genre: Crime, Doom, Dreams, Duality, Gen, Loss, Sleep, thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 44,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26895514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrMintyFresh/pseuds/DrMintyFresh
Summary: A small group of young adults do whatever they can to reach their ideals, sacrificing any moral to achieve a future they desire and Escape their Reality.





	1. Peppermint

The blanket in the sky worked its sentiments onto the surrounding ground, pelleting the city with its floaty, white minerals. The wind began to grow stronger as the sun took its early parting for the day, bringing its faint light with it. With the snow lightly covering the ground, a boy's footprints had forged into it, leaving behind an artificial trail of noticeably large prints. The streets were silent, leaving only streetlights occupying the company of this wondering man. He promptly zips up his jacket and throws his hands into his pockets, wiggling his fingers around the left-over gum wrappers and quarters trapped inside. He cuts a corner onto 'Marble St' away from a four-way intersection. Passing by an illuminating pastry shop, he squints and writes his name on the grimy pane-glass. 'Luzean.'

Eventually, he walks down the ramping street, scanning the ground for any coins to flip. The street leads to a family of buildings and small houses crowded against one another. The few lights in the dark buildings revealed shadows peering curiously at the boy, either as a threat or a potential hindrance. The road was littered with snuffed cigarettes along with a broken glass of questionable origin and used tires that gave a vicious fume. Opposing the string of fraternal homes was a large park, left in the middle of construction and creating an outlier of the generally shallow nature of the neighborhood. Enough time passes by for the snow to create new ground, along with a runny nose to start forming. Eventually, the man finds the familiar building he was searching for, approaching it and heading towards the backyard to climb the fire escape.

While coming towards the window, a faint song can be heard within which was in conjunction with the current holiday season. It was the obvious song from Mariah Carey. Luzean slides open the window with some trouble, and steadily moves in, finding himself in the kitchen which is crowded with college textbooks and open cereal. Entering the kitchen, he accidentally steps on a childhood drawing of himself, and other friends who he'd come to arrive for. He lets the jolly music guide him to his destination, passing into a hallway, and opening the door of the source. He could hear faint arguing voices talking about what seemed like Checkers.

The young man is greeted with a calling of his name, followed by another petite voice mimicking the same call. "Wassup, Minion" James says in a slightly sarcastic but optimistic voice. James was wearing a royal-purple plaid flannel over a white long-sleeved t-shirt, supported by long black jeans and mitch-match shoes. His hair was parted on the right side of his head and curled along the left. James' normally fair skin was much paler, making the dark rings around his insomnia-induced eyes and his defined eyebrows stand out substantially. Their friend Natalie, was beside James on the bed, separated by a small table that had a board game on it.

The floor was littered with prescription bottles, socks, unfinished art pieces, and a couple of small candy wrappers. Luzean also noticed a small spider by Natalie and alerted her. She accidentally crushes it in an attempt to view it.

James put down a small mirror he was holding on the desk he was sitting by and seemed to be eating something. "Took you pretty long to get here and now New year's starts in only like 40 minutes from now. We could have totally used the goddamn time to play like, three-way checkers or something." A female's voice follows him. "The fuck is-" Natalie said in a startled voice splicing her words. "No one wants to spend the last day of the year sitting around like ducks playing an ancient strategy grid game you goddamn weirdo." Natalie scooches up on the bed she's sitting on, flipping over a mid-game board of checkers.

"Three-way checkers does sound retarded but we could easily spice it up with a bit of gambling," Luzean says after flashing 50 dollars in ones from his jacket.

"Okay, _Billy Abbott._ Natalie mutters, poking fun at Luzean."For the record, you never bought pizza or Chinese food like you said you would last night." Her tone heightened. "All we have is fucking coca-cola flavored mashed potatoes." She lays down and whispers to herself. "Buttt I'm not gonna lie, they make a show for my tongue sometimes..." James drops his jaw and turns on the chair he's sitting on, revealing his disapproving face towards her.

"Natalie, I swear my mother was going to leave behind a little cash before she left because you and I know she usually does that." His fluctuating tone made him hard to take seriously. "Not to mention, you spent all my personal money the other day when we went to the pet store to get you that goddamn ferret. There's not a single person in the world who asks for a ferret for Christm-" Natalie cuts James off. She then retaliates. "You literally could have said no to that, like I wasn't pressuring you to get that ferret for me or anything if I knew that would have drained the rest of your money you know I would have never asked." Her thick, tangly brown hair was in a mess, throwing itself to hug her shoulders. She had split ends moving in all directions and was wearing a fitting lavender t-shirt under a thin Vince sweater robe, complete with striped bell-bottoms and short white socks.

James turns his chair towards her and lifts his hands a sizable distance above his lap. "Yeah that is true, but like I feel really bad- I mean I'd feel really bad if I didn't because I haven't really got you a Christmas present ever before. And like, I'm sure a request as great as a ferret would you know, fill those gaps back in." James sips on the coffee on his desk. "Besides all you ever do for my birthday is blast _Boys II Men_ albums and read give me the latest cheat code issues for games I don't even own."

Luzean then unzips his coat slowly, wiggling his arms through and tossing his jacket next to Natalie, revealing an emerald-green, over-sized, hood-less sweater with fitting indigo jeans, along with a "Troy Bolton" style in his chestnut-colored hair.

Luzean lets himself into the conversation. "But you buy her an excessive amount of presents every time _her_ birthday comes around. A few months ago, you bought her like eighteen billion gallons of ginger-ale, a DS, one of those new Mp3 players, and um... more books than anyone would ever need." His expression was stoic and demanding and he remained by the door, leaning his back against the pale wall.

Natalie had her attention on Luzean. "Those books were a ton of Japanese comics which I actually am pretty grateful for." She makes gestures with her hands to elaborate on her words. "I can only find those in those scarce, vintage, regional magazines I find in pawn shops and one of my teacher's bins in his classroom. Liking Japanese culture is a pretty niche thing, and I get it since most of the stuff I found was pretty weird. But there are a few outliers that interest me a lot." Natalie then leans backward, grabbing a pillow and fixating her body in a comfortable position.

Couldn't you ask him where he gets them? I mean I'm assuming there's a reason if you didn't do something that obvious." Luzean asks while messing with his hair.

"Well," Natalie said. "The guy's sort of a creep." She sort of scrunched her face and stretched a blank expression across her jaw. "I don't really feel comfortable asking quite frankly. But I convinced James' to do it since he's oddly comfortable with strangers." She yawns for a bit. "Though I'm honestly not sure why James bought me all that other stuff. I don't even like ginger-ale."

James smirks and responds. "You never had ginger-ale before I gave it to you. And I only bought like 3 at most." He pouts. "And damn, Mp3 players are kinda hard to find okay? They keep getting sold out."

Natalie stares off into various points in the room before reaching towards her bag in remembrance of an item she received earlier. "Oh, right".

James takes notice of what she's pulling from her bag and glides himself across the room towards Luzean, prompting him to brace himself. "Check out this gun I found." She pleads while standing on the bed and jokingly pointing the gun towards the boys. Luzean subconsciously holds the wall and leaves a hand at the door, while James retracts his neck in fear. "Why the hell do you have that???" James asks in an uneasy voice while shifting out of the gun's sight.

Natalie wiggles the gun around his face with false intimidation. "It ain't loaded, fucker. I got it from that cyber organization that's been pretty popular recently. It's a really neat novelty item that seems to be pretty sought out after."

"Cyber organization? Uhhhh, Poison? That's the first that comes to mind" James suggests.

"No, **[Esc]** **REALITY** you goddamn dork. You know what I'm talking about." Natalie flicks her foot. "It's the same gun that... I think his name was Chai Vong or something?" Natalie moved her eyes towards the ceiling to try and remember his name. "It's the same gun he used in that Wisconsin shooting like two months ago. I ordered it from this extremely sketchy forum board **[Esc] REALITY** hosts online. It was free so I'm sorta questioning the validity of whether it's actually his gun or not. Even if it's fake, it makes for a good prop on the wall." She puts the gun down and scratches her teeth. "But yeah, I was the first buyer as soon as the gun went up. I like browsing the morbid items there." She giggled.

Luzean and James both had a mortally confused look on their face, making subtle movements with sensitivity expected from a mannequin. Finally, Luzean asked her, "So you typed in your own address in order to receive it? That would mean they know where you live and everything!" Luzean leaned forward a bit, preparing himself to not miss a word she says.

Natalie looked puzzled. "Bu hao, that's like kinda insane. I delivered it to this place." She was about to sit back to await a response but quickly got back up. "Before you ask, I chose this building because well, it's an easy spot and I knew James' would probably disregard it. I picked it up on the way here. The box was filled with those packing peanuts no one likes."

James had had a look of disbelief. "Natalie, I'm the only family living in this building! My goddamn address is up on some goddamn forum for anyone to see??" James raised his voice. "And secondly, there was never anyone at the door, no one delivered it."

Natalie tried to hide her disapproval. "I'm pretty sure the information you put on the website is anonymous, calm your ass down Jesus." Natalie got up and stood on her tippy toes. She always stands on her tippy toes. "Listen I have to pee." She walked past Luzean and through the door.

James was unbuttoning and re-buttoning his shirt. He turned to Luzean. "Do you think her information is actually private?"

Luzean shook his head horizontally.

"Yeah me neither..." James turned towards his computer. "Though wasn't **[Esc] REALITY** the same organization that somehow cured all those kids of SARS like two years ago? Maybe it not all that bad."

Luzean spoke. "I'd be a bit skeptical dude. **[Esc] REALITY** has a very convoluted history from what I understand...though I'm willing to raise you 10 bucks to see who's right." James flipped him off. "Anyway," Luzean continued. "How's that painting you were working on? The one for your English project."

James flicked his head back and lifted his arm in preparation to point. "I finished it a few days ago. It's over there by the corner." The painting was of a small landscape, showing various silhouetted flowers and buildings shadowed by a dying sun. " I showed it to Fortunata. She loved it, I think."

Luzean brushed around all the clothes on the floor and picked up the painting, which was sitting by a saxophone. "Oh yeah, how's Fortunata anyway? I forgot; I was going to ask you that earlier." He began scanning the painting and being bothered by some barely apparent smudges.

James starts typing on his keyboard. "We've been pretty good. I video called her earlier with this old shitty webcam, and she was telling me all about her recent trip to Paris."

"Is she rich or something? It feels like every few months for the past 6 years, you tell me about this crazy new trip she's went on. She probably visited every continent at this point." Luzean had a picture of envy clouding his face, dreaming of having that kind of status.

James smirked. "Yeah, she's definitely rich. She tells me that it all comes from dad's side though. Something about some family business he has a hand in. He acts as a benefactor to her." James pauses and thinks about the conversation. "I guess it's about time I tell you about this. I've been holding this off for a long time because it's pretty shitty news on your end, probably." He stopped typing, fixing is eyes towards Luzean.

Luzean half squints his eyes and gestures his eyebrows. "What is it?" He asks, while putting the painting back down.

"I'm planning on studying abroad after high school ends in Italy so I can be with her. I don't know if I told you, but we met a few years ago during my freshman year. We met in that town, 'Little Italy' in Boston, you know that field trip I took."

"School ends in only 6 months...how long have you been thinking about it? Oh, and you should tell me more about that later, I never even knew you went on a trip."

"What? I was gone for like 2 days... Anyways I've been thinking about it for about a year. I mean it's the fastest way I can get to her. And besides college tuition is much cheaper in Italy than it is in America."

"Have you asked your mother about it yet?"

"I have. She's against the idea. Of course, I hadn't told her about Fortunata though."

"But how are you going to be accepted there? Do your grades hold up well enough?"

"Sure, I have a B average which I think is good enough. I still have another six months to make things better too."

"I always assumed that she'd use all that money to come here."

"I suggested it, but she told me that she needs to stay over there because of her acceptance into a northern-region university she's dreamed about."

"And what if you aren't accepted to the same university as her."

"I'll find a way."

It's quiet for a bit.

"I wonder how much that the gun is worth" Luzean says to break the silence.

James finally gets up from his seat, performing a light stretch and tightening the top button of his shirt. "Worrying about that gun while famished isn't a good combination." James wiggles his torso and down towards his hips. "Do you think there's anything open at this time?" Luzean grows a diffused look. "It's the night of New Years, I doubt anything is open. If you're going back out, bring Natalie. I fucking hate chilly weather. By the off chance you actually find an open place, buy me something hot." Luzean reaches towards James, handing him 20 dollars.

James folded the twenty into his pocket. "Honestly, even I doubt we'll get anything, but I still want to go outside regardless." He chuckled. "I've been sitting inside this damn apartment for the entire day. Natalie ate all the goddamn ramen noodles too, Jesus Christ."

The two switched positions. James started. "Tell Fortunata I'll be gone for a bit. She hates it when I leave unannounced." James then took a strawberry bonbon from his pocket and tossed it to Luzean. "I know you love these, and I had one lying around in my pocket." Luzean caught it with some tumbling, cherishing it in his palm. "Where did you even find this? I literally cannot find these anywhere except randomly via some granny or this office my mother used to bring me to."

Luzean leaned back, untwisting the wrapper of the candy. James threw on his jacket. "It was just in my pocket. My mother had some in her purse a few days ago along with some caramel candies that no one cares about." He turns out into the doorway. "But these pants are from a few days ago." He then walks out the door while making a wave gesture with his hand.

James walks out of his bedroom and tells Natalie to throw her shoes on through the bathroom door. Natalie comes out soon after and does what James asked routinely. James sits by the kitchen table, pushing away plates and boxes to make room for his arms. The window presents a view outside. The furious snow outside hollows through the wind, making the trees and branches tremble to its roar. All the while, James watches, scratching at his fingernail. He sees a tiny little spider crawling alongside the table, scurrying along the maze. James goes against his slightly-exaggerated murderous instinct and instead watches its path. Natalie finally arrives.

The two exit through the front door, passing down the creaking stairs and attempting to save their nostrils from the grieving aroma coming from the air. The two are greeted with the bipolar, fluctuating wind but fight against it, despite the red noses and sinus it brings. Natalie adjusts her glasses. They walk a small distance outside towards the blanket of snow. Natalie looked a little paranoid, with her light shaking not coming from the chilliness alone.

"James."

"Yeah?"

"Look." Natalie stretched out the word to make it sound bumpy and whimsical. She then opened her palm, revealing a handful of baby spiders.

Instead of jumping back, James instead conserves all his shock at once, sending all the tension in his body to his face. James lets out a unique yelp and begins to stutter inaudible nonsense.

"Listen, I'm still trying to figure out what this is. I think it's just as freaky as you may think." The army of spiders' seeps into her palm, in a way that isn't fully comprehensible. James turns his head to see where they're going. "I can trap them and free them with full control. It feels as natural as moving your fingers or blinking. It's so strange." Natalie wiggles her fingers in a demonstration.

"But trust me, they're harmless. I cut myself in your bathroom earlier because the goddamn light switch has a pointy tear. The spiders came from my finger soon after, and I attempted to kill it at first, but it resisted like a Beatle, and like healed my cut. You know I'm not scared of spiders or anything like that, so I didn't scream. But yeah, the spider disappeared soon after. Umm... yeah that's it so far."

James hadn't blinked the entire time. "That's bullshit, but I believe it." He messed with his hair a bit as if looking for a hiding spider, which he was successful in doing.

"Did you hide this here?"

Natalie gave a cutesy smile.

"So, this just happened earlier?" James asked her.

She lifts her finger in preparation to bite it. "Yeah, that's right."

James then studied Natalie's body for anything else off-putting. "Is anything else weird?"

"No, this was it. I think it's pretty neat, too."

"Have you looked in the mirror?"

"I mean, I have but I didn't inspect myself too much...not that I could see myself in your mirror anyway, it's fucking filthy... why? Is something wrong?" Natalie turned her head a bit, looking a bit paranoid, but slightly curious.

"Your eye, it sorta has the pattern of...a peppermint? Like a peppermint swirl. It looks pretty cool." He moves his face towards hers from a distance that's not too close.

Natalie pulled out her Blackberry and used the reflection to look at her eye.

She studied it for a bit, before coming to belief.

"Come to think of it, do you remember those peppermints we had, before Luzean came?"

"Yeah, what about it?" He turns an eye towards her.

"I bought those from the organization." she paused and created a worried expression. "Errr, **[Esc] REALITY** ...bleh."

~~End of _Peppermint_ ~~


	2. Purloin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot Chocolate

In anticipation that James would shout from what was said, Natalie pulled out a magic 8 ball from inside her coat and started shaking it, making a faint, inaudible whisper. She kept flicking his eyes at him and back at the 8-ball, telling James he should shut up with her eyes alone, and it proved effective. After a few moments long enough for the wind to start making its presence clear, Natalie finally stopped shaking the Magic 8-ball and inched her head towards it to read what it responded with. "Signs point to Yes." The ball presented.

James gave up any irritation that was in his mind. "You didn't get that from the organization too, did you?" He asked. "Well," Natalie said without removing her eyes from the ball's view. "I didn't. This is just an ordinary Magic 8 ball. I'm sure you're wondering what I asked it, but I won't tell you." James then retorted, tilting his head a bit. "Actually, I wasn't curious at al-" Natalie interrupted him knowing it'd annoy him. "Yeah goddamn right James. I know well you were wondering what I asked. There's been no other person who hasn't been curious about it, and I don't see what would make you different." She smiled.

James once again attempts to retaliate. "I'm very different from any other normal damn person! Don't compare me to the goddamn primates who wander this Earth looking for nothing but a mundane life they never know they'll never get. Jesus, even when the opportunity is there, they keep complaining about what they have for attention and eventually just end up back at where they..." James stopped and saw Natalie's face, realizing he probably shouldn't go on. Natalie started. "James, I simply did that to make you realize you have some pretty bad anger issues." She left a reversed smirk. "You shouldn't look at the worst in a situation at face value but instead learn more about what's in front of you before mindlessly crashing it." Natalie began to walk forwards, making a signal with her hands for James to follow. "Besides, I don't think any normal person would respond like that, so you're pretty different from society. If you weren't, well I wouldn't be so comfortable with talking to you every day. I bet you forgot what we came out here for."

James mimicked her footsteps, though his footprints dragged a bit rather than leaving clean marks. The two crossed the street, with Natalie deliberately walking past the same end of a streetlight James did, in order not to split it. "You've always been superstitious." He paused and gave his attention to a small portable Hot chocolate stand down the street, complete with little wheels. It wasn't too crowded. "Lemme see that 8-ball, lass." Natalie handed him the 8 ball without looking back. James closed his eyes and spoke. "Will I successfully rob something today?" He asked.

After a bit of shaking an answer arose. "Not a chance." It read. James cringed and shook it a bit more for a desirable answer. "Sure." It then said. He smiled. "Natalie, Luzean asked for something hot did he not?" James peered at her. "You know you have the money for it, James." She knew what he was thinking. "But." She continued. "It would make a pretty...exciting way to end the year I suppose." She turned to him. "Do you have any little plan?" James put his hands around his back and responds. "That stand has little wheels on it, don't you see?" He gestured his head, pointing towards it. "We'll ride it towards your school since it's down this street. That should be all you need to know."

Natalie traveled her eyes downward. "It'd be funnier if I scared them with a spider first." James' jaw fell a bit. "Ohhh! I wasn't even thinking about that!" He looked a lot happier. "I wonder if you could utilize this for other scenarios." She started to develop a smile of her own. "Probably." The wind was getting a bit stronger. "I've always liked scaring or deceiving people." She said in a soft voice. Natalie then took her steps towards the stand, and James followed her after she got off a good two meters. The street was dark, only having the streetlights and faint glow from surrounding windows illuminating the premise. The sidewalk was horribly cracked, and the asphalt street was populated with filling to go within the cracks created by quakes. Upon approach, it's revealed that the stand was being held by a boy, about six or seven. He was wearing a small brown vest over a white button-up, and cute little black bow-tie to compliment his place church pants. It seemed obvious he was about to close the stand down for the day, since the streets were clear, and the time was approaching twenty hours.

"Hey, little weirdo." She rubbed his head, leaving a spider to rest. She then brought back her arm, bringing it to rest as she viewed the prices. "1.50 for a drink" the makeshift sign read. The kid's knowledge was obvious. "He won't remember this for another day in his life. What would a kid need money for anyway?" Natalie thought to herself. But even then, he must be out here for a reason if he's selling hot chocolate on a night when no one is around. She contemplated for a moment, before realizing he had a case full of money. Just like that Natalie's opinion changed, and the child finally noticed the spider. He let out a hefty, "SKEEE!" Alerting the child's supposed parent, where Natalie noticed the parent the window peering through a window above, staring sternly and quickly getting up, preparing to go outside. Before a moment could pass, Natalie took advantage of the moment, snatching one of the full cups, twisting on the container briefly as she fled. James walked up soon after, acknowledging what she's just done.

The child finally smacked off the spider and attempted to step on it, but the spider suddenly faded. His face was dazzled, and he looked around for a moment before noticing James, blocking the light over him. "Mister!" The child began. "That woman! She stole the hot chocolate from me! Go and stop her, please!" James thought he sounded adorable. "Aw, No!" James said in a sarcastic voice. "I'll go stop her!" He put his hand on the stand's handle. "Hey what's your name?" James asked. "B-Benjamin...!" Ben let out. "Aweee!" James smiled and put his foot in position behind him. "Your name fucking sucks but you're pretty cool!" Ben's father flew the door open. He was big, standing at about 1.95 meters. The man was wearing a jean jacket and a white tank top, along with some nice loafers and tacky pants. His head supported a nice slick back, and an expensive pair of shades. The dude looked rich.

After stepping through the door, instead of performing an anticipated shout, he instead just stared at James, having a completely blank expression and standing completely still. After a few seconds, James' intimidation wore away, and he put on a smile with his teeth to gain an upper hand mentally. However, the expression gave off no intimidation, and without warning or a moment's notice, the man pulled a gun from behind him and shot James' mouth, completely rupturing his teeth.

In just another moment later, James ignored the intense pain and used his built-up energy on his foot to flash down the hill, riding the cart downwards with increasing momentum and ignoring the blood rushing from his mouth and flying past behind him. James refused to look behind him, afraid of any potential future gunshots that he'd see coming. The road slanted downwards, and James moved the cart to drift around any bumps or trash cans about the sidewalk. James flew past barbershops, bootleg restaurants, and small nameless convenience stores that seemed to have been out of business for years. In due time, James eventually caught up to Natalie, and she called her name as she promptly hopped and rode the cart, but not before James noticed the man approaching from behind, speeding down the road without friction as a factor.

Natalie took notice upon the car, looking back and beginning to bite her finger, realizing the danger she's in. She then pointed her attention to James, widening her eyes in complete confusion. Natalie's school was finally in sight, even with the intense wind and snow obstructing their vision. Soon after the car was beginning to get noticeably closer, making its presence clear through the cloudy perspective behind them. Natalie and James finally arrived at her school, with the name " _Vicinity University_ " on the front. The two ran around the back of the school, throwing open a door in the ground opening to the basement, an entry the school never locked or took care of. They then ran to the exit of the dark basement, jumping over various brooms and dodging buckets used for cleaning. They approached the first floor, and peered through a window, noticing that the man was already staring through the window, where he then began to fire through the window, blasting the glass all over the checkerboard floor.

Time seemed to move slower, and the two slid on the ground below the window, approaching a second staircase to hide on the second and final floor. The second floor wasn't much different, having the same checkerboard pattern on the ground, but having a baby blue, and royal blue palette. The two were too frightened to speak, and their brains took initiative to not let their mouths open. Instead of resting and waiting for something to happen, James signaled her to dash down the hallway on the left, and the two promptly attempted to before an explosion let itself known from the ground below. From the newly born hole in the ground, still emitting smoke and raining debris. The two flew back a bit, and Natalie screamed her briefly before realizing and covering her mouth. In a final attempt of escape, Natalie rose and grabbed James' hand, running with him through a final staircase leading to the roof. After reaching the top, the two rush around looking for a potential hiding spot and simultaneously flicked their eyes at one another and the environment around them. With only a small vent to hide behind, it was ultimately decided to run towards the edge of the roof, with only a small blockade to prevent them from falling off. They then turned around towards the door, shivering in the wind and waiting for the man to come through, and attempt to make a ridiculous plead for their lives.

Only the sound of howling wind accompanied the two, and they held on to the false grasp of the snow below them. He finally came through the door and ran towards them, feeling only reluctantly and no sympathy to spare them. His sprint came to a sudden stop as he bent down and stared at James' eye. James compacted himself slowly into a ball, protecting any vital points of his body, and turning his head away from him. Natalie made gradually scooched away, in a desperate and ultimately hopeless attempt to getaway. There was silence.

"Do you have any gum?" The man finally asked. James grew a light stutter. "I don't, but I have a Strawberry Bon-Bon." He reached in his pocket and presented the candy. The man reached his hand towards his and looked excited as if he saw his mother for the first time in years. "Holy shit, I didn't even know they had a name." He said, unwrapping it quickly and throwing it into his mouth. "This shit is amazing." He tossed the candy around in his mouth. He then relaxed and sat down in the snow, making a face from the coldness it brought. "Jesus Fucking Christ, how aren't you guys shivering?" He made a loud crunch from his mouth. "It's cold as shit out here." James and Natalie were still to stunned to speak. "My name is Frasier. I was supposed to kill you two, and nothing is stopping me from doing so." Frasier noticed James' comb in his pocket, and snatched it, using it to fix his hair.

Natalie was slowly feeling at ease, crossing her legs and biting her finger once again, and began to speak in a slightly muffled voice. "So...Why don't you kill us? Not that I want to die of course, but with so much obvious offensive...err... capabilities you have, I wouldn't expect you to act so mercifully. "Well..." Frasier began. "You two didn't exactly do what I wanted you to do. Had you been any other person, you would have looked for the most obvious and safest option to take cover. Instead, you two took unorthodox options. I guess you guys might be different from other people, I don't know."

He dropped on his back. James uncurled and spoke. "Why did you want to kill us?" Frasier didn't move from his back. "The damn gun, of course, it's valuable as shit. And I didn't want to kill you, just immobilize you. I and my buddy came here from Connecticut. We're a part of an executive team, though it's just the two of us. Everyone else sorta died." He giggled and got off his back. "I noticed your two's eyes. Are you in the organization as well? Hmmm?" He had a smile that didn't seem modest.

James' eyes widened, and he took his phone from his pocket, flipping it open and checking his eye. He then dropped the phone to look at his hands. They had little sprinkles of glass within them. "I'm assuming you guys had one of those peppermints," Frasier said.

Natalie Nodded. Frasier looked sleepy and turned to Natalie. "So, what's yours?" He said with genuine curiosity. "Everyone's is a little different."

She opened her palm, revealing the infant spiders once more. "What do they do?" Frasier asked her, leaning forward to view the little creatures. Natalie peered at the spiders herself.

"Their webs can heal cuts and stuff. I'm not sure the extent of it yet, I just got this today." Natalie said.

"You should help your friend here then. I guess I made you two too terrified to realize but his mouth is gushing with blood." He paused. James' shirt and face were painted with dry blood. "Seriously I'm more baffled you didn't realize, dude." He was referring to James. "Actually," James said. "The pain is gone, but the wound is still there." Natalie peered towards James and said in a light voice, "I don't even remember trying to heal you, James." She touched James' teeth. "Gross there's like spiderwebs in your mouth." She plays with it. James then whispers back "It tastes yummy hehe." Frasier cringed.

"Jesus Fucking Christ." Frasier rose his voice. "Why are you guys so quiet? I've been doing all the talking." James and Natalie weren't moved very much. "My name is James," James said. "Natalie." Her voice followed. Frasier looked pretty disappointed. "You guys have some dopey ass names." He got up. "Where's your wanderer?" He said. Natalie looked up at him. "My what?" Frasier came to a realization. "I guess it's still too early. Expect something weird to happen." Frasier said. He turned and kicked snow around. "Can you guys get up? I'm not going to kill you or anything." He stood there and intentionally dropped a piece of paper from his pocket.

Frasier looked impatient. "Listen, I need you guys to join my gang." He said stubbornly, turning around quickly and bending over, crunching his hands as if trying to pop something. "There's absolutely no way you guys are convinced right now, but that piece of paper has my number on it. Message me, and I'll try to tell you more details tomorrow-" James suddenly interrupted him. "I think I want to join." He said. Frasier looked at James in complete surprise. Natalie looked at him in equal horror.

James smiled and picked up the paper. "I've been interested in this kind of thing for a long time." He bit his finger and whispered to himself. "It's exactly what I need."

"You are so fucking weird. I like it." He started to walk off. "Anyways, bye." He walked further. "The stairs are still alright by the way." His silhouette blended into the shadows.

"Hey, James."

"Yeah, Nat?"

"I heard what you are Luzean were talking about." She frowned and looked at him. "Are you really gonna go?" She paused. "To Italy and all that?" James looked a bit sad himself. "I am. You probably know why." Natalie got up. "Fortunata?" They looked at one another. "Yeah," James responded.

"Are you going to come back?" She said.

"I don't think so. I don't want to return to America. I want to escape this life." He rests his hands on his knees. "I don't think my life is really bad by any means. It's just that outside of you, Luzean, and my computer," He giggled a bit. "There isn't much to look forward to. I always thought life was sorta uneventful."

"You're willing to leave everything behind for her, James?" She asked.

"Without question. But everything would be better if I had you guys there with me." James looked into Natalie's eyes. "Do you want to come with me?"

Natalie had a light sigh. "My morals are different from yours James. I love my family and I'll probably miss my friends at school." She paused. "And I'm pretty unfamiliar with any culture outside of America. I didn't even take Italian class in high school as you did."

"Can you at least think about it?" James asked her. "It'd be great if it was the four of us. You love Fortunata, she's awesome." She looked forward. "But our grades, James. I'm not sure if we're even eligible for the college she goes to." She groaned. "You're using **[Esc] REALITY** as some kind of backup, aren't you?"

James made an all too familiar smile.

Natalie sighed once more. "Alright, James."

There was silence.

Natalie grabbed James' hand and pulled him to his feet. "Did you know that if chew gum for 50 years, you'll gain 3 pounds?" She asked.

James got himself up and responded. "Is that true?"

"No lol."

~~End of _Purloin_ ~~ 


	3. Pejorative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Year

Frasier walked out of the school, exiting from the door from the basement. The school was engulfed in flames and heat. Distant police sirens could be heard approaching. Without any contemplation or thought, instead of running and retrieving for cover, Frasier stood in place and waited for the cops to approach. He thought it may be more suspicious if the streets were only populated by a single man and running away from the scene. Frasier noticed Natalie and James running out of the building from a different exit. They speed-walked to a separate and opposing neighborhood. James took off his bloodstained jacket and used snow to thaw the persistent blood.

Frasier took out _a_ Nokia 7650, pulling up his contacts list, and called a person under the name, "Brett Collins." The phone rang, and rang, and rang.

Brett is sitting down in a small motel, watching a cartoon, and eating munchies. He hears the phone and looks at it, reading Frasier's name. He thinks to himself, "If it's important he'll call back."

He continued to sit down, ignoring the ringing until it silenced.

Frasier looked at the phone pissed and redialed, and with angst, he successfully picked up.

"Whattttttt do you wanttt?" Brett asked and groaned, setting aside his bag of chips.

"Listen," says Frasier. "I successfully kidnapped Ben, and I got two people, potentially more to join our faction. One of them had that newly put up gun that was sold at the forum yesterday. If we sell it we'll make tons. I'll be meeting with them tomorrow."

"Sweeto." Brett replies. "So how many more things to get off the checklist? If you get all that shit down the boss will no doubt promote you."

"My list is coming towards completion. I just blew up half of a school and lured some police to come this way. I was ordered to murder this head chief executive. I looked into his history, and he never misses his participation in huge crime scenes, so I'm sure to have him in my grasp now." Frasier smiles. "I wonder how much we'll get paid as part of the proficient execution team."

"Only time will tell, dude." Brett eats some more chips. "I'll be leaving Sweden tomorrow since I narrowed down little to-do objectives as well. People really don't like arson here, I'll tell you that much."

Frasier giggles. "Nice man. Alright, the police are arriving now, some imma go and approach. Boss didn't give me instructions about this guy, but he only told me to pressure him and take his life there. I think the boss is sick as shit since he told me to like, record his voice while it happens too. Yikes." Frasier scratched his nose.

"Well, they probably have some shitty history". Brett replied. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, probably around 8 pm if I'm converting our time difference correctly. Don't forget to bring the Chicken Carbonara."

"I won't, Brett." He hangs up.

Frasier took off his shades and rubbed his eye, as he started walking around. He placed his shades in his pocket and began to walk up the street, back towards his temporary apartment. The officers pulled up to Frasier and firetrucks zoomed by past it, coming to a stop with several men with baggy uniforms jumping out through the doors. Frasier checked his to-do list for the organization. "Jesus Christ, I'm not looking forward to driving a helicopter in a few days."

The officer by the window looked middle-aged, having a recently shaved beard and a pretty grown mustache. He didn't seem too tall, and his skin was very pale. Looks like the guy hasn't slept in ages. There was a picture of his daughter on the window pane. Frasier almost felt sorry for the guy. But he recognized him. There was a second unfamiliar man in the driver's seat. There was a coffee stain on his uniform.

"Hey, officer." Frasier started the conversation.

"Hello, young man." The officer responded. "I'm assuming you've taken notice upon this disaster beside us." The officer flipped open little mirror above his car seat, activating a light that illuminated his face. He was adjusting his hair and scratching his mustache.

"Say." The officer continued. "What'da think about all of thisss?" The officer overemphasized his S. It seemed natural. "About thissuh, debacle and everything, hm?"

Frasier rested his elbow by the windowsill. "I view this tragedy as anyone else would." Frasier pulled out two cigarettes, offering one to the officer.

"My department doesn't allow me to smoke, thank you." The officer turned to Frasier. "I see your footprints coming from behind the school. There seem to be other footprints as well. I have reason to believe you were involved in this." The officer brushed off ash from Frasier's wrist and noticed the gun by Frasier's side. "Do you live around here, erm... what may I call you.

"My name is Frasier Thana." He pointed to the left. "I live right up the street, with my boy. His name is Benjamin. He was selling some hot chocolate, see, and some kids y' know, sabotaged his little stand. Soon after the school blew up. You can see the stand over there by'the corner, so the footprints likely belong to them. I assure you I have nothing to do with this. I came down to spectate and retrieve my boy's stand." Frasier stood up beside the car, leaning on it and crossing his legs.

The officer peered his head out the window and looked back at Frasier. "Those are some fine'a clothes you got, Thana. What is that, a Colt Paterson Revolver? Hell, I've never seen one of those myself." The officer flicked it.

Frasier kept staring at the school and its flames, one hand in his pocket, using his other hand to remove a cigarette and blow a puff out his mouth. "Yeah, It's an expensive one. I've had it for a few months now." He continued to look forward.

"Do you have a permit for it?" Frasier took it out ad showed it to him, already having had it prepared. "So, you have it planned out as well, hm?" The officer continued.

"I figured you ask. That's all." Frasier told him. "Have you heard John Legend's "Get Lifted", the other day, damn that was good."

The officer rose an eyebrow. "Listen, pal. You dodgin' the point I'm tryna make is only making this more difficult, I suspect you completely now.

"Like Hell you do." Frasier quickly told him. He spits out his cigarette, stepped on it, and shoved the officer's head back into the car, startling the officer in the driver's seat. "I want you to listen to me, alright? Now, Maurice." It was the officer's name, and he looked completely and utterly startled. Frasier continued, emphasizing his words. "I believe every goddamn human on this earth has two sides to them no matter fucking what." Frasier leans in closer, provoking the second officer to contemplate taking his gun out, but instead left it in his carrier, stopping to listen, just in line with Frasier's point.

"You could be the most respected person on the goddamn planet, you could be a nun, a saint, a fucking priest for chrissake. But no matter what, you'll always have that second side of you. The side that pathetically masturbates to other women because you're bored of your wife. The side that psychologically manipulates people despite being called a mentor. Like an evangelist lusting over a child. It's fuckin' crazy to know how invincible people think they are behind closed doors. Maurice attempted to speak, despite his jaw beginning to shake. "If you had any goddamn decency, you would have fucking know I wasn't finished. I swear to God you better be listening to what I'm sayin, pal." Maurice nodded steadily.

"That urge is natural and cannot be eradicated, but it can be controlled. But I know you what you did Maurice." Maurice was quivering and his eyes were bolting, with sweat running down his face. "You woul'nt understand...! I did it because of my urge! Y-yeah, that's right! It'sss human nature like you said! I-I couldn't control it...she's so was so petite, so young... I had no one else I tell ya...!" Maurice was raising his voice. "You, you gotta, g-gotta please let this go for God's sak-" Frasier forcefully pulled Maurice's head by the hair he had, and smashed his face onto the top of the glove compartment, making blood rush out his nose.

"You gullible motherfucker!" Frasier's shout was muffled by the noise of the firetrucks. Jesus fucking Christ, I can't believe I was actually right about this shit!" Frasier spits on his face. "I've been looking for you for a while, old man. It's just in my luck that you just so happened to come along." The second officer put his head into Frasier's sight and reluctantly asked, "What'd he do? What did Maurice do?" He fixed his tie. "Maurice is Chief Deputy, he wouldn't even for one mo-" Frasier cut the officer off. "Shit, you wouldn't want to know buddy." Frasier flicked his chin, and the Officer promptly ran out of the car.

"I want to make this loud and very goddamn clear, Maurice." Frasier rubbed his nose and reached a hand under his jacket. "There are 8 things I think makeup who a person is, you see." He walked backward and leaned on the gate behind him. "Charisma, Wits, Vitality, Sociality, Appetite, Guts, Looks, Wealth, and finally..." Frasier pulled out a pistol from under his jacket. "Coffee preference of course." And with only a moment's time, shot after shot was fired, blowing glass from the interior all over the place, ripping open the car seats, and that special crimson substance ripping through Maurice's body, coating the inside of the car.

The uproar of gunshots finally came to a close, with Maurice's body being filled with distinct holes throughout his torso and lower jaw. Frasier walked the car window and spoke to Maurice, while he was still barely alive. "Hard feelings are completely intentionally here, bud. Enjoy Hell and all that awaits. Send me a postcard while you're down there, aight?" He patted his head and handed him an explosive. Frasier walked off and uttered a final word.

"Amen." The crowd watching Frasier was gifted with the final show, being the police card exploding by the side of the street, leaving the pavement covered with car debris. With the smoke rising, Frasier faded with it, making a quick sprint out of sight from the human eye.

In reality, Frasier had no idea what Maurice did. He was assigned to kill him. Frasier then whispered to himself. "Getting to know that dude would have made me feel worse."

Frasier initially walked quite slowly up the street but returned to a sprint. He approached his temporary home to find Benjamin still at the building. It looks like he was too paranoid to walk out. There were a few pedestrians around, many looking out from their windows to view the explosion's aftermath.

Frasier walked up to Benjamin, who didn't retort or curl up in response. "Listen," Frasier said softly. "I'm gonna bring you back home soon, alright. I had to kidnap you for personal reasons, y'know?" Benjamin responding with the fear in his eyes. Frasier felt kinda bad. "Alright, here." Frasier handed Ben a strawberry bon-bon. "Everyone loves these. Have you ever had one?" Ben nodded his head in disagreement. "Here just take it, you'll love it. I didn't poison it or anything. Look I'll eat one with you to prove it.

Benjamin took the candy, unwrapped it and slowly put it in his mouth, initially chewing it but realizing that was a bad option. His face scrunched for a moment but he seemed to enjoy it. Frasier was enjoying it as well, lifting his eyebrows in recoil from the taste. "Where do you live, Ben?" He attempted to say in a muffled voice. "Connecticut? New Jersey?"

"Wyoming." Ben finally said.

"Wy-." Frasier grew a look of disgust. "Who the fuck lives Wyoming of all goddamn places?" Benjamin looked down, not out of shame, it's just he saw a small spider on the ground. Frasier turned around, to find Natalie and James eavesdropping. Natalie smiled and ran off with James. Frasier smiled a bit. He looked back at Ben and asked him, "How did you get all the way here to Mass?" Ben looked up at him. "My father sent me here by plane. He couldn't take care of me, so he left me to my mother. I have two other siblings, and the same happened to them. We have different mothers." His voice was very light.

" _This kid's in a goddamn orphanage_." He realized.

Frasier felt even worse. "This why I hate getting to know people." He said to himself. "I don't think it's a good idea to bring you to Wyoming. If your dad sent you away, he probably can't take custody of you." Ben retreated his view from Frasier. Frasier's emotions just kept getting heavier. "I'm sorry little dude." He patted his head. "I'm going to have to bring you back to your mother's. But if anything goes outta hand, get your phone and call me alright. They're not going to find out who I am so you can tell your mother all about me. Though, I wouldn't advise it since that would only bring more drama to your life." Benjamin smiled at him. Frasier didn't know how to feel about it. Feeling the opportunity, Frasier let out something scrambling in his mind.

"Hey, kid." He started. "I have more potential schemes in the future that may or may not involve small children like you." Ben looked at him. "I-I didn't mean that in a freaky way. I mean like, you know, more kidnapping and stuff. I'm a part of this thing you see, and like, I get more benefits in my job if I do more crazy shit, you know?" Ben scrunched his forehead. "Look, you don't gotta agree but it'd be hella useful." Ben finally said, "Sure" much to Frasier's surprise. "2005 is gonna be my lucky year." Frasier thought.

"I'll buy you anything you want, alright?"

Ben nodded.

Frasier had a lopsided smile, and scratched his head, then noticing Natalie and James once again peering at him. "Ouuuuuu, Frasier has a soft spottt." James yelled out. "Who knew such a cool looking guy could be such a sugar plum inside." Natalie continued in a dramatic, overly cute voice.

Frasier lowered his jaw in preparation to retaliate but instead giggled and lit a cigarette. "Yeah whatever, guys. Go the fuck home." He told them. Frasier then led Ben back inside the house, closing the door behind him. James and Natalie smiled at one another.

"Hey, James."

"Yeah, Nat?"

"I gotta go home for my laptop. I wanna play on it and your computer has no fun games." Natalie told him, smiling at him.

"Well go ahead Nattie. Don't forget your charger." He responded.

Natalie gave a puppy-eyed look to him. James lightly rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm not walking you there Nattt. It's cold as hell and I only have a button upon." Natalie pouted. "That's a lie! I see that white long-sleeve you have under!" She pulled his shirt, revealing it.

"I get sick easily!" James said to defend himself.

Natalie punched him. "Fine but you owe me." James smiled. "Whatever you want, Natalie." He checked the time on his phone. My god, we missed New Years!" The time read 00:43. "Awe, that's fine. It's just another day if you think about it." She looked in the distance and peered at the mistletoe on the clock tower and puckered up her lips. James turned them away. "Feels weird hearing that from the superstitious one". James said, giggling to himself. Not even a moment later though, Natalie gave him a big kiss on the cheek, tackling him while he struggled to get up.

"Don't worry, I won't steal your first kiss, James." She poked him. "That belongs to your little Italian girl."

James got up. "About that, Nat. When you get back from getting your laptop, I need to talk to you about something. It's gonna sound pretty bad, I think." James looked away a bit. Natalie grabbed his chin. "Tell me now. This is the perfect place." Frasier then yelled from the window. "No, it's not!" Natalie jumped. "You get the point." She whispered.

James smiled at her. "Fortunata, you know ever since we met, she's well...she's been sleeping around and making out with other guys. She tells me she just does it's for pleasure and not for love, and that had we met sooner, she would have abstained for me."

"James..." She started. "She sounds sort of shitty for that. I'm assuming you're abstaining and staying loyal for her though, right?"

"Yeah, of course, Nat. I don't feel any sexual feeling towards anyone I don't have a strong connection and romance towards anyway." He looked down. "I brought it up because I just sort of miss Intimacy and that feeling of love. Other than Fortunata, you're the only other person who gives me that feeling."

"James, you're not saying you want to have sexual relations with me because Fortunata does, right? That would make you a hypocrite!" She said in a slightly upset tone.

"No, no!" James tried to make his voice clear. "That's not what I'm trying to imply. I just want you to like, put your arm around me or give me those small kisses when no one is around. Never on the lips though! But that stuff makes me feel nice since it's with you. I'll share all my first-time stuff with Fortunata of course."

"Am I hot?" Natalie asks.

James jumps and searches for his words. "I, I mean you're adorable and you're personality and everything is adorable and-"

"Hahaha, I know I am, don't worry". Natalie laughed to herself. "You're so weird for a seventeen-year-old."

"You're not much older Nat". James pouted.

"I'm twenty-one. That's a considerable gap between us".

"At least I'm taller than you."

"Six ft isn't an incredible feat., honey."

"Ever considered joining the Major-League shelf climbing Olympics? I'm sure you'd do great, Nat!"

Natalie was trying to hold back a giggle. "Very fucking funny, James". She blew snow in his face.

"You're the greatest". James told her.

"Yeah, I definitely am". Natalie added.

~~End of _Pejorative~~_


	4. Pervasive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monster

James and Natalie split paths, James taking his stroll home and Natalie going to retrieve her laptop. The night was long and the streets were dark. Street lights flicked and the once illuminating windows fell black and opaque. James had some hot chocolate from earlier, fighting against his urges to drink it knowing it's a request from Luzean. He walked down the street towards his house, playing around with his special new unnamed quirk. He wondered what potential these magical entities had.

He eventually made it home, realizing he left his key upstairs. Not bothering to climb up around back, he looked for his apartment number and rang the respective doorbell. He felt his lips begin to chap in the cold and fought against himself to not lick his lips. Luzean soon after creaked the door open for him, and James could hear his footsteps moderately scurry upstairs. While walking up, he noticed bits of ink contrasting with the prominently white staircase. From this, James began to question if a pen broke or if Luzean had some magical power too. He hurried upstairs and into his room, but carefully as to not spill the drink, then seeing Luzean sitting in front of a paper full of signatures. There were drops of blood by the ink, and the veins on his wrist were faintly, but distinctly black.

"Was it the peppermint?" James asks him calmly.

"Yeah. So I was right in thinking it affected you as well." Luzean responds, making ink seep out of his hand, and continuing to speak. "It happened because I noticed Natalie had some peppermints sticking out from her bag." He rested his head on his hand. "It didn't take long for the effects to make itself known. My handwriting is not only gone from notorious trash, but I can perfectly forge any signature, image, or line of text. I'm wondering how far it can go." Upon further inspection, there was a paper under the one James had seen, revealing the examples Luzean went over.

"What's with the blood on the paper?" James asked upon noticing.

Luzean didn't look fond about it. "I'm not sure, but for every few moments I use the ability, tiny cuts form on my hand, like recoil." He had a bit of uneasiness in his voice.

"When Natalie comes back." James started. "We can ask her the details about the forum she went on selling the peppermints. She's bringing her laptop here in a bit so we can check her history and find the site."

"Alright. She doesn't live far from here so we shouldn't need to wait long."

~~

Natalie arrived at her home and knocked on the door. She waited for a moment before noticing the car was gone and reminded herself that her little brother and mother left for New Year fireworks, staying the night at a local hotel.

Her bedroom windows were at the front of the house, so she began to crack at them. The first window she attempted this on came up swiftly. She thought to herself how she usually keeps the window open while she sleeps, no matter the time of year. Upon entry of the room, she stepped across the ocean of fuzzy socks and underused notebooks, bumping her foot onto an open drawer. She initially held in her yell but let it all out after realizing she's home alone.

She navigated the darkness before reaching her bed, followed by her nightstand, where she pulled on her small lamp to illuminate the room. She grabbed her needed belongings before going to turn around and leave the house, but she was kept in place, solidified mid-action as she saw a figure waiting on the opposite side of the room.

The figure stood slim and tall. It seemed female. She faced the opposite direction and looked towards Natalie. Her neck looked to be able to view at a far larger degree than a human, almost owl-like. Her ears were big, nails were long, the nose pointed upwards, the eyes were large and on the head and she didn't blink, but her eyes seemed well moisturized. She had wings wrapped under her bosom and around her torso, along with Its hands being slightly webbed. Natalie noticed beautiful plants growing form her shoulders and wrapping themselves around the creature's neck. Natalie also looked in the spectacle at her long lavender hair, with a few straw hair hairs sticking out like whiskers. The lips wore purple lipstick, and under revealed two lines of teeth, many sharp but a few normal. Barely noticeable on her moderately large forehead was the number, "9" beside some short horns. Finally, the creature wore a very light, mint-green nightdress that went down in a netted web-pattern to her knees, over a pair of pants that blended into its short heels. There seemed to be the print of a pouch under her dress.

"Didn't you hear me knock?" Natalie finally said to the creature.

The creature turned around once more. "So, you can perceive me?"

"Yeah, why don't you blink?" Natalie asked her without fear.

"I can" The creature demonstrated, revealing that her eyelids were translucent. "Our eyelids act as a shield from excessive light, but we can still see." She opened them back up. "These eyes have to need to blink, much like yours."

Natalie noticed she hadn't been blinking whatsoever. "What do you have to do with this um...thing I have? The peppermint and everything." Natalie showed her baby spiders.

The creature lifted her thumb. "My name is Arachne. We have the same exact fingerprint. I'm your fourth-dimensional counterpart."

Hearing that made Natalie want to examine Arachne more. "You're from an entirely different plane of existence?" Natalie asked her.

"That's right." Arachne walked up to Natalie and lifted her by the shirt. "We are far more evolved than humans. We can not only fly and swim excellently, but our status has allowed us to outlive every other species. Even plants." She tossed Natalie into the air and caught her effortlessly. "This ' _magical_ ' power you have is not magic at all. You're simply applying fourth-dimensional physics into a third-dimensional plane. You're essentially a 3.5D being now, so you couldn't be able to fully comprehend the extent of what you can do."

"Isn't there a way you can show me?" Natalie asked her.

"Darling, I easily show you the fourth-dimension, but your brain will literally explode the moment you see. You couldn't handle so many new sights at once that you haven't previously comprehended. You'll hear new sounds, feel new emotions, see a new color, and view new geometry that cannot be compared to anything else on this plane. What you're getting now is a glimpse."

"Ah. What about other planes? Can we visit those?"

"That's a very good question. Actually, I visited our second-dimensional counterpart, and let's say it didn't go too well haha. The poor thing was freaking out at what it could see of me. But we've tried to reach higher planes, but it was never successful." Arachne let Natalie down.

"Our society has no reason for murder or financial structure, so instead our jobs are to keep your mental state sane. Your feelings and decision making all depend on us and what we do in our world. We are judged in our performance based on a one through ten scales." She lifted her hair. "I'm doing quite well, then."

Natalie smiled at her. "So I'm assuming only I can see you?"

"Sort of. For now, it's only me and you. From there, you can choose who's able to see me, but even then that person must be able to wield a wanderer of their own."

"So you're called a wanderer?"

"To you, yes. I must tell you a few more things since I cannot stay here long. You see, your powers are called vows, and are derived from the dubbed, 'whimsicality'. _They are simply the allergies of your fourth-dimensional counterparts, tuned for manipulation_. It may be the reason you had sudden rashes or itchiness around spiderwebs growing up. Where ever whimsicality is found, you are exposed to its presence and granted the abilities, possible through me. However, the dose does not last forever. Once it wears off, you'll lose your ability, so please use it carefully. There's much more to tell, but holding myself in the 3D plane too long crushes me under the presence. But now that you're aware, we will meet in your dreams. I'll see you soon, Natalie." Arachne moved out of the world, not fading, but stepping into a higher plane in geometry that cannot be fully understood.

Natalie walked to her fridge and grabbed waffles and french fries from her freezer, but was overthrown with 'Super Size Me' flashbacks and decided to put it back down.

"Oh, by the way, Natalie". Arachne appeared back for a moment. "If you sneeze, a ton of spiders will pop out your nose. So be careful." She went back.

Natalie bit her thumb, held her laptop under her arm and left through the door.

~~

"Hey, James." Luzean started, bending over beside the bed. "You have all these new movies and didn't think to put them on?" He sorted them out on the bed. There was 'Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle', a couple of distinct Wayans Brothers movies and 'I, Robot'.

"I'd rather see what music video is playing on BET, honestly. I've seen those a million times." James responded. James was sitting by the window, waiting for Natalie's arrival when just then he finally saw her taking a corner and walking down the street. "Here she comes now. Also, luzean. I'm assuming you heard the explosion right?"

"Yeah, it shook the entire building a bit. It scared the shit out of me."

"I'm surprised asking about it wasn't the first thing you did."

"No point to ask if our reactions are going to be the same mundane thing. It'd only be interesting had you been involved."

"I was involved."

Luzean turned towards him, eyebrows raised. "Damn my assumptions. What happened?" Luzean sat back on the bed and leaned against the wall, resting his hand on a bent knee.

"Me and Natalie went to go steal this kid's entire Hot Chocolate stand, but the kid's father...or supposed ' _guardian_ ' came out and shot me in the mouth, chasing us down." James smiled and showed Luzean his teeth, showing the scar left by the bullet, carving a light pattern of broken glass. "One thing led to another and it turned out he had abilities similar to ours and blew a part of the school in an attempt to quarantine me and Natalie."

"Your wound doesn't look like it harms you at all. Is it part of your ability?"

"No, it was Natalie's. Her ability involves little spiders who's webs and silk has the capabilities of healing light wounds, but I guess it keeps the scar behind."

"And the guy?"

"His name is Frasier. After cornering us, he told us he was only chasing us since not only were we obviously dicks, but he was after that gun Natalie had, which apparently has tons of value. He left soon after, but not before telling us that he needed us to join his little faction in um... **[** **Esc** **] REALITY**."

"Oh, God..." Luzean dropped his head down.

"And he sorta needs another person. And uh..." James laughed under his breath. "You'd be a good fit for it now that you have this ability we have."

Regret filled the eyes of Luzean, and soon plagued the rest of his face along with his tone of voice. "I don't want to be dragged into this, dude. I don't even have the initiative to join."

"The boss of the organization is like some kind of miracle worker. If we have these insane abilities our self, imagine what we'd be able to achieve with the respect of the boss." James sounded enthusiastic. "Of course, there's an obvious risk since it's a gang after all. But under the protection of Frasier, I think we'll be fine. You don't know him yet, but he seems pretty damn cool to me. He even has these dorky-ass shades from like a decade ago."

"You just met him."

"Don't be so over-particular."

"He's literally a terrorist." Luzean didn't sound convinced.

"Why don't you give it a chance. We're going to see him tomorrow."

"In public?"

"Yes."

"Fine." Luzean got up and groaned. "Where's my drink?" It sounded more like a statement than a question.

"Check the dinner table. I got hot chocolate." James chuckled.

"That explains the heist," Luzean said out the room, with the near-echo being what came to James' ears. "Did your mom call you about the explosion?" Luzean lightly yelled from the kitchen. "No, she didn't. I've never spoken on the phone with her. She _highly_ prefers face-to-face speech exclusively for some reason."

Luzean came walking back. "That's strange as Hell. My mother called me immediately and asked if I wanted her to pick me up. Of course, I said no but it feels so weird hearing so much desperation in her voice."

"Why would she be so desperate? We're a good 10-minute walk away from the school."

"That's what I tried to convey to her."

Natalie came through the door. "Which doofus left the goddamn door wide-open?"

James smiled. "It was Luzean for sure!"

Luzean threw one of Nat's shoes at James. "Please die, bud."

James yelped and prepared to throw it back, before stopped and staring at the shoe. "Is Nat wearing your shoes?"

"Yeah, I let her wear them when you guys left."

"They're probably huge on her, what the hell."

Natalie flicked her foot, shooting her shoe towards James' torso. "Yeah, they slip of far too easily. Makes for a good projectile thoughhh." Natalie skipped into the room.

Natalie sat down in the middle of the room. "Anyways guys, I found out a lot about the little powers we have. She then went over everything, discussing wanderers and vows, their limitations, and their connection to our world. The teaching took about 30 minutes, with the time reaching two in the morning.

"Oh jeez..." Luzean lingered out. "There's a lot more to this then. Natalie, can we see the forum you went to? We could potentially read about some more information about this."

"Sure," Natalie responded. "I didn't really think about what I was buying, obviously." She got her laptop already plugged into the wall and flipped it open. After a bit of time for booting, the infamous Windows XP sound jingled and she opened the forum. The site was labeled, "Escape Boards" and was hosted under an unprotected domain. "It looks like a shitty _Gamefaqs_ ripoff" Natalie muttered.

"My God," Natalie said in brief surprise upon viewing how public the peppermints are being made to be. "The peppermints are being advertised as like, normal edibles. I think the organization is trying to spread vows across the world."

"You can't blame them," Luzean said. "With the potential of Vows, who wouldn't want to see how chaotic and diverse they can become. Not only that, but it's just free recognition of **[Esc] REALITY** 's name." Luzean looked over more closely at the laptop. "Jeez, even their motto is, 'No Guilt, No shame'".

Natalie began to flick around the site, before finding a page detailing the founder. "The Boss of all this goes by the screen-name... **Vizzed**. The oldest board here is all about trying to figure out the identity of him, and it's been on going since 1994."

"Is there anything **Vizzed** posted themself?" James asked.

"Hmmm, I can check." Natalie told him. She clicked on **Vizzed** 's blank profile, and found thousands of posts he's been making, all detailing his successful transactions and good-doings, with highly specific depth in the action along with exact time and circumstances. "He has.." Natalie started. "Ended wars, revived economies, and eradicated threats and viruses..." Natalie paused and stared at her screen in confusion. "They have even insisted that they have never killed a single person, or committed any sort of theft...and that they live in the public eye?? They deliver their transactions via nameless white vans, as to not be particularly identifiable. This is not what I made them out to be in my mind..."

"Look at that." Luzean told her. "It reads, 'You've probably seen me before, but couldn't notice or you couldn't distinguish me, but I assure you, I make my face and presence very open. I love to spy on you all, studying and interpreting everything that goes on in the mind of human decision making, along with the physical and mental steps it takes to get there. You aren't hidden from me, and I can find out who you are, but I can assure you, if you cooperate, you will have nothing to worry about. And even then, the best cooperation you can give is to live out your normal life." Luzean finished the lines and stepped back.

Natalie closed the computer and curled in a ball. "Creepy shit, but what's bothering me more is how damn cold it is in here."

"Luzean." James said. "Turn on the little mini heater by the windowsill. I'm gonna talk to Fortunata for a bit."

"What does Fortunata look like?" Natalie asked.

"You've never seen her?" Luzean replied.

"Here, I can show a picture." James answered to Natalie. The picture was on his desktop and pulled up relatively slowly. James twirled his mouse around the screen as if it made a difference. The image finally loaded and showed Fortunata leaning on a desk towards the laptop camera. Her hand was lifting her dirty blonde hair, which was very straw-looking, revealing her sleepy eyes. She had long bangs, with the hair on the top coursing down her scalp, and protruding outward as if it was morning hair. She wore a softly knit sweater and gave a distinct little smile using her petite lips.

"Wow, she's ugly as Hell." Natalie said.

"Hell is hot." James told her back.

"Hmmm. You win that one, Pollock."

James stared at the picture a bit, lost in his world and subconsciously smirking.

"Hey, James," Luzean said, sounding like he was going to ask a question. James made a hmm sound in response. "How long did it take you to fall in love with Fortunata?"

"Three years. It was six months ago that I finally validated my feelings for her."

"Ah, I see. I ask because I remember you telling you it takes a lot for you to fall in love."

"That's right. But the fact that Fortunata makes me so happy, despite the fact that we've never seen each other in person, makes me feel like she's the only person I could ever be with; the only person I can imagine being with."

"Does she love you mutually?"

"Undoubtedly." James rested his chin on his hands. "I'd do absolutely anything for her."

"Almost anything. Surely, you wouldn't murder for her."

"If it came down to it, I'd do it without question."

~~End of _Pervasive_ ~~


	5. Proximo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Girl

It was 4:00 am. 

Luzean had drifted off to sleep, curling in a blanket on the floor. Natalie took up most of the space on the bed and stared at her laptop under the covers. She was re-watching ' _Friends_ ' and seemed to be moping due to the series ending that year. The room was devoid of movement, with the only sounds to be heard being the clashing typing coming from James and Natalie. The light emitted from both sides of the room, making Luzean stare under the bed, where only darkness could be seen.

James sat at his computer, speaking with Fortunata throughout the entire night. They were talking about 'Spontaneous Human Combustion' over webcam.

"...Yeah, there have just been several cases of people just randomly exploding. No one knows why it happens. All that's left after the explosion is their legs and a ton of ashes." James was discussing to Fortunata. 

"What would you do if I just combust right now?" Fortunata asked him.

"I would swallow whole this conveniently placed grenade under my desk."

"Then, we'll be ashes together."

"If you think about it, it's the fastest way we'll come together."

"Assuming the afterlife truly exists, of course."

"Why are you guys so fucking weird." Natalie interrupted. 

"Quiet, Natters." Fortunata scolded back at her jokingly.

"That's an oxymoron," Natalie told Fortunata. "'Natters' literally means to go on and chat for hours, you couldn't tell me to be quiet."

"In that case, we could go back and forth all night, except you'd for sure fall asleep. I have the time advantage, sweetheart." 

"Trust me, _fortune_. When I'm sparring with you, I have enough energy to last a week." Natalie jumped from the bed and pushed is hands down on the table.

"Then prove it, bitch. I'm wide open." That was the first time James had heard such a tone.

Natalie rolled up her sleeve and pushed James out the way. "YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH THESE MUSCLES, ITALIAN GIRL." Her arms were like noodles. 

Fortunata threw off her shirt and attempted flexing. "THESE ABS WILL THROW EVERYTHING YOUR AMERICAN PRIDE LOVES TO BUILD UP. Now let me see my boy so I can doze off to his pretty eyes." Natalie groaned and sat back on the bed while James came back into view. "Jesus Christ, she's competitive."

"I never saw you shirtless before," James told her.

"Do you like it?" Fortunata asked him.

"Y...yeah." James said with opal eyes. Fortunata put her shirt back on, smiling at him.

"I've already validated you as the person I want to be with until I die. I'm all yours and you're all mine as soon as you get here." Fortunata told him in a voice that shivered through his body. It sounded demanding. 

At that moment James' heart went limp, bewildered in the tidal wave of varying emotions. He subconsciously held on to his chest, all while forgetting the things that made him love his home and his family. All he felt love for was Fortunata and fell in trance thinking of the girl who stood before him. 

Fortunata noticed her effect on him, and just how much dependence her words held over his mental state, and even his physical health. James didn't breath or respond, but kept his head down and smiled with a look of surface infatuation, but a truly justified feeling of intense romance. "James." She said, finding the situation was perfect for a question.

James broke from his pseudo dream but didn't make much movement, uttering a barely audible word. "Yes?" He mumbled.

"Why do you love me?" Fortunata finally asked. "Don't think about it."

James kept looking downwards. "I love you for what you bring to my life. There's no amount of gifts, money, or praise that can make my heart nearly fail from the mere mention of it alone. Despite being behind a screen ever since I met you, it's crazy that something as simple as the words you type can have so much meaning and so much life behind it. I feel like you've always been with me, more so than my mother who I see every day. And never have I so much wanted to just abandon all this mundane family and the country they inhabit when I nearly have something as unreachable, and as cherish-able as you. I'd do anything for you Fortunata because I adore you, and nothing the world throws can change that fact. I adore you." James said it all with no time in between, but still at an understandable and soothing pace. 

"So you would rape someone for me?" Fortunata asked.

"I would." James responded.

"You would kill someone for me?" She said it and looked at him.

"At your word." He said softly. 

"Would you kill yourself?" Her tone made it clear it was the last she'd ask.

"Even that." His voice showed no signs of dishonesty, and he answered all the questions with honest and normal hesitation. 

"I love you, James." It was the first time she said it. "But I'm not gonna lie, you genuinely concern me."

James let a knee up, resting his head on it and coursing his hand upon his face, making a dorky smile he couldn't control. "I...I-I-I love you too, Fortunata..." He couldn't speak, and his heart pumped faster than it ever had. Natalie peered her eye over, feeling a bit worried for James. It seemed his thoughts grazed over her second comment.

"Fortunata..." James' voice was light. "I don't deserve that from you. I can't be good enough to deserve that from someone as special as you." He was pushing himself down, but not out of attention, and Fortunata recognized that.

"It's okay to be flawed James, it's human and I'm not perfect like you view me. I've done too much wrong to be perfect. But perfect isn't always what you should strive for. It's true that you cannot see when there's too much darkness, but too much light can blind you as well. Just keep being yourself James, and I'll love you despite those times you slip up. You just need to recognize it."

James smiled, and looked away only with his eyes, giving Fortunata the signal that he understands.

Fortunata bit her finger and smiled to herself. "James" She faintly said.

James made a small moan that let her know her was listening.

" _Dovresti andare a dormire, ragazzino_." Her voice was direct but calming.

James took a moment to process it. " _Come vuoi, Fortunata_." He scratched his pinky on the desk.

"Be a bit more fluent with your words next time. I like to be impressed. Goodnight, James." She said in a forgiving, and meaningful voice.

"Goodnight, Fortunata." He smiled at her. The program closed and James sat at his laptop.

"James, what the fuck" Natalie said.

~~

"Ar'you gonna eat your tots?" Silently came from Natalie's laptop. She had fallen asleep watching Napoleon Dynamite.

The clock read 6 in the morning, and the windows emitted little light because of the winter season. The faint morning light was accompanied by still lit street lights, casting striking shadows in the bedroom, contrasting with the dark orange hue and faint blue light from the computer. James had been sitting in front of the computer all night, browsing media through a site called " _Newgrounds_." Around his keyboard were unopened bottles of Eszopiclone pills, combs, hair jell, and crumpled up pieces of lined paper. He hadn't slept.

James got up, stretching and cracking his back before staring down a bit. Luzean was holding on to Natalie's bag as a cushion-er. Natalie was still wrapped up in her blanket, in the same burrito-like fashion. Their light snoring and lack of movement made it clear sleep was still in effect. James went to use his ability, and noticed it's usage was still strong, as he hardly exhausted it the night before. He grabbed his comb and initially stumbled, but caught his balance while leaving his bedroom. 

Entering the bathroom, he blinked excessively for getting used to the sudden light. His eyes switched between normal and peppermint patterned in between those brief instances. "Time to see my sexy ass." He lifted his comb in preparation to comb is hair, hovering his left his above his forehead for inevitable and long-lasting adjustment, but there was no reflection staring back in the mirror. James stared in disbelief, and his eyes darted towards every inch of the mirror. "Am I too good for my own eyes?" He joked to himself miserably.

His lip dropped, and he began to take steps towards the glass pane, each step filled with unsteadiness and subtle confusion, made clear by the tender shaking and hesitant, uncertain sense of self. He leaned against the sink to reach towards the mirror. Instead, the glass acting as support for his hand as a wall would, James instead fell forward, moving into the mirror itself, unrestricted by his reflection's blockade. His body was halfway inside. The mirror world was cold, and James found himself quickly shivering. He attempted to say something, but no voice came despite the efforts. 

James then fully climbed into the mirror world, engulfed in the new reality. He picked up his toothbrush, and on the opposing side of the mirror, the toothbrush floated. And there were boundaries to how far he could go, as travel was limited to what light was being reflected the mirror, resulting in a void for where light stopped. He went back to the normal world and blinked to restore his reflection. He sighed with relief and combed his hair.

Natalie creaked his bedroom door soon after. "Where the hell is your coffee."

" _What's the story, mornin' glory_?" James muttered with a toothbrush in his mouth. Natalie groaned and giggled. "It's in the cabinet above the shitty microwave." James told her, making a small hand gesture in the microwave's general direction.

Natalie walked into the kitchen, grabbed a jar of Folgers, prepared the coffee, popped in some bread to toast and sat on the couch of the small, open living room. On the stand in front of her laid an old _Symphonic TV/VCR,_ which was dusty and didn't seem to be directly touched too much. Natalie reached to power it on but the button was sorta sticky. Upon powering on, the static-filled the screen, and Natalie flicked through the video options before reaching the cable output. After that worked, she began to scroll through the TV listings for anything to watch.

She scrolled past shows like _Drake & Josh_, _Wonderfalls_ , _Foster's Home_ , and _AFV,_ before stopping on the 22 News Channel, which just cut off a re-run of _Family Guy._ "Aw, man." She grunted. The News Station made its jingle and its host's voices began its planned speech _. "Happy Saturday and Happy New Year Baystate, and welcome to your local and trusted 22 News Network."_ The host today was a young man who wore a polka-dot bow tie fit with a black suit, fair skin, and faintly reseeding hair. Natalie slumped in the couch, listening some more and pulling up her legs to rest on the couch. " _We will be broadcasting our weather forecast for the coming week shortly, but first news on the sudden explosion occurring at 'Vicinity University' earlier at midnight_." Then appeared a picture of the school on the top left of the screen. The image showed the school engulfed in flames, with tons of police officers guarded around. " _Police spotted a fleeing man and attempted to apprehend him. However, after scouting the area and finding his apartment which wasn't far from the scene, his presence had disappeared, with no data of his name or information to be found. Police checked in with the landlord who had no knowledge of his stay, and upon further inspection revealed the empty apartment was broken in to, kept as a living space for a few days. We asked locals of the man's appearance, but were told only vague descriptions of his height, as his appearance was greatly obscured. Unfortunately, officer Maurice Morgan was killed by the perpetrator that night, and we at News 22 send our condolences. A public funeral will be held at the Johnson Holyoke cemetery on January 8th."_ Natalie went to lay on her side, and soon after, James' mom came through the door, jingling her keys and seemed to be holding grocery bags. 

She was catching her breath and making room for the grocery bags on the table. Her hair was short and dark brown, drawn to the left which covered half of her forehead, along with some hoop earrings. She was wearing a Death Cab for Cutie t-shirt that was tucked into her denim, raw-edge capris. It was all topped with the _Slinky Platform Mules_ that made her look taller. Her eyes were rimmed with eyeliner. 

"Back from work, Ms. Pollock?" Natalie asked her.

"Ah yes, my dead-end job as a Disc jockey where I'm unchallenged, have shitty co-workers and paid like a bagger from Walgreens. Oh, and honey, please call me Kimberly." Kimberly told her naggingly.

"That's the most mom name ever." Natalie told her.

"I'm 33, seriously what'd you expect." Kimberly slumped over. "Whoever's coffee this is, I'm taking it." She stretched over to her Sony Discman and played ' _Could it be I'm falling in love_ ' by The Spinners. She did a small dance for herself and sipped her coffee. James finally left the bathroom, with his hair perfectly intact. "I hope you didn't forget, James." Kimberly said. "We're going to auntie's new year's breakfast soon." 

"Don't worry, I remembered Madre." James told her. 

Luzean soon came out of the room, dragging a blanket when Kimberly noticed him and gave him a fat hug, lifting him off the ground. "Aahhh, hey Kimmm."

"Hey LooooOOZE--!!" She dropped him after being startled from the toast popping up. He dragged himself towards Natalie, and James dragged him towards her using the blanket he was now laying on. James sat next to Natalie and Luzean sat up by the couch in front of them.

"So how are we gonna meet Frasier?" Natalie asked the two. 

Luzean lifted his head towards her. "We can leave the breakfast while it's happening, no one keeps tabs on anyone during James' get-togethers. Maybe we can have Frasier pick us up to himself or we can walk over there if he lives relatively close. I don't have to be home until Sunday night, so I'll be fine when it comes to that."

"I have to be home by five tomorrow for volleyball practice." Natalie said. "So we have nothing to worry about until then. I doubt Frasier's little conference will last overnight anyway."

"Let's just hope he doesn't have anything planned that's too crazy." Luzean said.

"If he does," James started. "I'll call my mom and tell her I'll be home late, and that we went to go out and eat or something. She has to work again tonight so we'll be fine."

~~

9:00 AM.

James was wearing a slightly over-sized, collarless Blockbuster rugby shirt with fitting jeans. His shoes were mitch-match once again, mitch-matched. Natalie wore wide-leg jeans, Open-Shoulder Bell-Sleeve Top, and some open-toe flats. Luzean wore distressed jeans and a half-sleeved tan polo filled with random characters and numbers on the top right.

"Don't you guys ever wear coats?" Kim asked.

"It's not that cold today." Luzean told her.

Kimberly was driving the young adults to the breakfast. They were in a 1999 Chrysler 300M and the radio was playing 'Got to be Real' by Cheryl Lynn. "Do you guys wanna drop by McDonald's?" Kim asked. "I hear they're selling these small shitty micro Sonic games in the Happy Meals." She giggled and adjusted her front view mirror. "Plus the breakfast won't be done till around twelve so we can have something small until then."

"Yesssssss pleaseee. I've been collecting every game they have." Natalie said with excitement. Luzean and James looked at her with disappointment. 

"I want chicken nuggie." Luzean said.

"And I want yum burger." James followed.

The order passed and the car pulled up to the drive-thru. The cashier handed Kim the happy meals and Kim passed them back accordingly. Natalie quickly checked for a toy and pulled out a Knuckles one. "FUCK!!! I ALREADY HAVE KNUCKLES I NEED THE GODDAMN SHADOW'S BASKETBALL ONE!!!!"

James had the Cream version, Luzean had a Tails. 

Natalie grew slightly furious. "I HAVE THOSE DAMN ONES TOO!!!! I NEED SHADOW, THE TOYS GO OUT OF LINE TODAY AND SHADOW IS THE ONLY GODDAMN ONE I NEED!!!! WHAT THE FU--!!!!" Luzean put his arms around her and covered her mouth. "It's okayyy Nat, we can get some later today, I promise. We'll use as much of James' money as we need."

"HEY??!" James yelled behind them.

~~

They pulled up to the house, which was around a fairly empty neighborhood. The house was large and blue, having three different roofs and several windows on each story. The porch was big in area, having many chairs lined up around the inside perimeter. Its yard came out far, with a concrete walkway dividing it. There were kids running around up front, throwing rocks at each other and guarding behind close by bushes. Their parents monitored them with lackluster security, looking over their shoulders when they felt pressured to do so, never under moral action.

"Is your aunt rich?" Natalie asked. 

"Rich as hell. " James told her. "Everything is funded by the family as far as I'm aware because I'm certain she doesn't have a job or anything."

"Maybe we can ask your aunt for money." Luzean suggested. "How much of a sacrifice could it be?"

"If we're gonna ask, It's gonna be from of you two. They tend to be nicer to guests, you know." James told him.

"James! Get this trash from the back!" Kimberly shouted. "On ittt!" James yelled back, shrugging to Natalie and Luzean and beginning to sprint to the car. 

Natalie and Luzean approached the stoop, and through the door. Moments after entering, a few people stared at them for a moment before quickly going back to their conversation. A small child ran up to Luzean and pulled on his pants. The child was still in diapers and had little hair on its head. It fell on its bottom due to a lack of balance.

There were shoes scattered throughout the entrance. The two walked passed them and made their way upstairs, passing by the various people, and eventually reaching the third floor where all the young adults were. A few made sexual glimpses at Natalie, others giving distrustful looks. Luzean and Natalie made their way into the girl's room and sat by the window where they could see James returning from the car. They opened it, and waved to James, prompting him to come upstairs. 

"Pretty weird people, huh?" Luzean whispered to Natalie, still a little loud enough for them to keep some distance apart.

"Yeah, from the looks of it they just seem like bottom of the barrel people trying to hold themselves above us." Natalie groaned and adjusted her hair from the wind blowing against it. The two then heard creaking up the stairs, coming towards through the doorway. But no one seemed to greet the person, despite being family.

Natalie called James quickly to break the mood when Luzean insisted to take the phone himself.

James picked up and Luzean spoke. "Why's your family so weird?" Luzean asked. Natalie nodded in agreement.

"Don't ask me. This family is full of fucking weirdos." James didn't lower his voice and grabbed some eyes towards his direction.

Luzean and Natalie seemed relieved that people heard since they wanted that point to be clear to them.

"Anyway," Natalie said, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket. "I still have that little note Frasier gave us, we should go and call him."

"Sure," James said. "We haven't been here long, but I'm already ready to go. Just call me back soon, I need to greet some people under my mother's surveillance."

~~End of _Proximo_ ~~


	6. Pollen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stairs

"I'll cover everything. Thank you, Friday." It was Vizzed. The voice was muffled in a way that you couldn't recognize the gender. They spoke directly and clearly despite it.

The airport was crowded due to the season, with shitty mistletoe hung up about and every seat being nearly completed flooded. Little kids were crying and sleeping adults all about. Many looked exhausted, and others looked desperate for the arrival of their acquaintance. Announcements from the speakers seemed to be nonstop, and the carpet was damp with snow tracks and spilled drinks.

Frasier was wearing a dark blue vest supported by a blue tie and black dress pants. It was completed by his sexy ass dress shoes that were also tinted blue.

"Why does he call you 'Friday'?" Benjamin asked, looking up towards Frasier and adjusting his collar. Frasier didn't look down at him, but took a sip of his coffee and prepared a response.

"It's just the fake names we go by. He calls my Friday, I call them Vizzed. That person is the one who's making it possible for you to get back home. They organized this entire flight and is the one who will be funding you and your mother...or by your choice, you could go off to an orphanage founded by the organization itself" 

Benjamin looked up with genuine curiosity. "Well, what's the orphanage like? I already have experience in one." He scratched his shoe on the ground as if he stepped on something sticky. "I'd honestly rather go to wherever who's funding me or at least a place they control. Whoever they are, just seem like a caring person, willing to fund for a child they don't even know. I'd love to live under a person with such good intentions...I'd rather not my mother."

Frasier looked down at Ben, beginning to search around his seemingly endless pocket. "You'd get everything you'd ever need or even want. But you may never see your loved ones again, at least by normal circumstances." He didn't sound pleased to present that fact.

"But why?" Benjamin asked not out solemn but continued interest.

Frasier looked at him curiously, not getting the reaction he expected. "A chance at a better life comes at a cost in this organization, being your family...but it doesn't seem to be a huge concern for you. I assume you have nothing to lose here..."

Frasier stepped to the side, making way for a man and a woman coming towards Benjamin. "These two will be making sure you get home safe, Ben. If you ever need me or wanna talk just call me, okay?" He patted Benjamin's head and gave him a small Tootsie roll.

"I hate these" Benjamin said in disappointment.

"No kidding? Me too." Frasier told him, as his phone began to ring.

"Goodbye, Frasier." Benjamin finally told Frasier.

"I'll see you around." Frasier smiled and pushed Ben along towards his gate. He finally took notice of his phone. He picked it up and answered.

"Is this Frasierrr?" Natalie's voice came through the phone lightly.

"No, this is Patrick," Frasier told her. "We'll be meeting up at Van Horn Park by Baystate Hospital. I'm in Connecticut right now, so you can take your precious time to arrive. We'll only be talking for an hour or so. I suggest you come armed." Frasier walked and talked on the phone, throwing on his jacket around his shoulders and passing by the crowds of people. Frasier noticed all the talking in the background of the call. "Where are you right now?"

"We're at James' family reunion," Natalie responded. "There's a ton of people around."

"..." Frasier was silent for a bit. "Where's James?"

Natalie looked up around and wondered where the previous footsteps had gone. She looked through the door leading to the upwards hallway with James nowhere to be found. "I guess those footsteps weren't his," Natalie told herself. "He's likely downstairs greeting his family," Natalie answered him.

Frasier started to stress over uneasy thoughts.

"Natalie, listen to me closely, alright? Do you remember everything you ordered? All those transactions have likely brought you a ton of attention, and people like me will try to hunt you down for that pollen gun. Where is it now?"

"It's in my bag...I have it with me." Natalie sounded scared. " _Pollen_ Gun?" She whispered to herself.

"I don't have time to get into detail, but there are likely gangsters in that house trying to blend in. The people in our organization are hard committed to making their crimes known in large spaces since it means more attention, thus greater reward. Get out that house, and don't shoot anyone with that gun. Protect it at all costs." Frasier didn't sound urgent but demanding. "Call James and tell him now" He hung up.

~~

James walked around the first floor, greeting his smaller cousins and uncles. They fist-bumped him, and James found himself in plenty of conversations, and small play-time requests from the younger kids. He eventually goes through the swarm of people and went into the kitchen, meeting his great-aunt, the one responsible for the reunion. The kitchen was full of smells and flavors arranged around the perimeter. A window was open, letting out all the kitchen smoke and letting his refreshing air.

"Hey, Aunty Cloe." James said, bending over to give his aunt a big hug.

Cloe was overweight and very old, but still had a voice full of energy. She had a blonde curly wig on and wore a knee-length black coat. "You ever gonna cut that hair, Jamie? It's about as long as this fake thing I have on now."

"Well, your lackluster hair is what I aspire to have," James said sarcastically.

"I have a whole book of wig shop suggestions, you know." Cloe told him with a smile.

"I think a book titled 'A guide to cleaning your room' would be more appropriate."

"God knows you need it."

"He should have blessed me it on Christmas."

"We can look forward to this year."

"More like the next decade, but even that's iffy."

Cloe chuckled. She got up and everyone made way for her as she exited through the back door, on her way to help on the grill.

James smiled and reached into his pocket for the phone call.

"Yellow?" James answered.

"Hey, James." It was Luzean's voice, which was extremely paranoid.

Everyone in the room was dead on the ground, blood pouring out their necks, painting the carpet several different shades of red. Luzean began to think to himself, and started whispering to Natalie. "Everyone in our room and a couple from the hallway are dead. It seems that whoever looks at us dies within immediate sight." Luzean held his face. "...It kills witnesses." He concluded. "Because everyone is curious about what's causing death, we continue to bring attention, and more people drop." There was screaming coming from every inch of the top floor, and residents on lower floors began to worry. Those from the top began to run downstairs, warning those below.

James was silent on the phone, looking up seeing much the same of what Luzean saw, resting his feet above the developing pool of blood, making sure his shoes stay clean. Their deaths were silent and quick, which prevented any alert. Luzean began to speak. "I'm assuming you've been made a host as well. We need to find the person causing all this. Did you see anyone you didn't recognize?"

"I don't remember many of the faces of my family" James told him. "The only way we're going to find this guy is to run through every person there is, and we'll see who's left."

"Don't you care about the lives of these people?" Luzean asked him softly.

"We can't save them, and you guys are left up there vulnerable. Besides, if I don't know anything about half of them, why should I care." The words came directly.

"That's a pretty fucked philosophy on the lives of people." Luzean retorted.

"There's no point to care for a person's life if you know nothing about them, Luzean. It's why you feel nothing when you hear about a murder on the news, you only care that something like that happened in the city, and you're interested in the circumstances. No one goes to the funerals they make public other than priests and outer family, and that's only because of moral obligation and social pressure."

"Then I won't stop you. Be careful."

"Do you think we'll be able to look at each other?"

"I'd say play it safe and try to find the guy first."

"Alright."

~~

Brett jumped into his car, a 2001 Audi S8. Groovy. The flight had finally ended, and he was making his way out the airport's parking lot and across the street to a Denny's where he'd meet Frasier. The area was crowded full of a rainbow of ethnicities, all supporting and making their distinct cultures clear. Brett slowed down, letting all the various people pass despite feeling a bit devoid of patience. In the passenger's seat was an area littered and overflowing with rubber duckies, all of different designs. The radio was playing, "What You Won't Do for Love" by Bobby Caldwell. On top of the car was a giant fucking refrigerator, with a man stuffed inside it.

Over his curly, short hair, Brett was wearing a brownish-maroon beanie with a small frog insignia on the front. He wore the same color for his fitting jeans, as well his tie. His top was a faded yellow T-shirt under a tan coat filled with bullet holes. As for his shoes, he wore some generic white flats.

Brett pulled up to Denny's, pulling in eyes from the people in the establishment, but also the pedestrian who surrounded. He waited there, looking out for Brett, before pulling out a Gameboy from under his hat and struggling to pick a game in his crowded glove compartment. The refrigerator was making a lot of noise, with obvious head bumping happening from the interior. The nuisance annoyed Brett, so he just turned up the volume on his Gameboy louder. The backlight was shitty, so he tried to get the screen in the sunlight so he could see the damn game. He was playing Tetris.

Soon after Frasier ran across the street holding two cases of chicken carbonara from Dominos, proceeding to open the door and make room from the rubber ducks. "Heyy, sick." Brett said in excitement, taking a case of the food. "I suppose we have just one more thing on the list, no?"

"Yeah, you're right," Frasier responded. "All that's left is to kill the don of an opposing faction."

"Who should we take down?" Brett asked, beginning to drive. Despite showing no sarcasm in his voice, Frasier could tell Brett already had someone in mind.

"Nah, I should be asking you that, bud." Frasier handed him a photo, showing the organization's higher-hierarchy. The options read, 'Juggler', 'Rookie', 'Friday', 'Chance', 'Jewels', 'Indigo', and 'Python'. "By the way, we're off to Spinner street by the plaza."

"Assuming my brain isn't completely fried right now, I know Juggler and Indigo are in the area, undoubtedly for the Pollen Gun situation. Chance's bitch-ass is in Russia, probably fleeing because of his attempt on the boss' life, which was as pathetic as our attempted theft of fucking flee markets back in puberty."

"Wait," Frasier interrupted. "Is Chance actually in Russia?"

"Yeah, no doubt," Brett told him. "I was honestly thinking of chasing his ass down during my stay in Sweden but damn they have no Dominos out there so I had to come back."

"Damn they got no Dominos overseas?" 

"I mean, they probably do but my ass was too lazy to validate that."

"You just fucking look it up. I'm assuming America ain't the only goddamn place with technology."

"Guy, I had no immediate access to that shit. You know every time I get hands behind a damn screen I end up fucking it up somehow."

"No shit, I mean look what you did to your GameBoy, I just bought that damn thing."

Brett looked down, realizing had spilled Coke all over his Gameboy without realizing it.

"GODDAMIT DUDE, I CAN'T EVEN FIND THIS SHIT ANYWHERE." Brett took his hands off the wheel, paying full attention to his Gameboy, nearly knocking over his chicken carbonara. The car swung over and two transparent, green-tinted hands appeared on the wheel, steering the car itself. The hands guided the car, swerving past two cars and narrowly skinning a tree. Despite this, both kept their cool, not bothering the fact that they almost crashed.

"Hey it ain't a big deal, I'm sure we can find another one at some trade convention or something. Assuming we're gonna head to L.A during May and everything goes right, we'll no doubt find an old-school gaming store or some shit over-west." Frasier sat back in his seat after Brett regained control.

"You know they sell Coke-a-Cola in every country of the world except North Korea and Cuba?" Brett asked in tangent. 

"Who knows useless shit like that?" Frasier asked him without surprise in his voice.

"This girl I dated used to tell me bullshit like that all the time," Brett explained. "She broke up with me though."

"Damn, how long ago was that?" Frasier asked him.

"Like three years ago. I'm not even sure if I'll be honest. I got some fucking garbage memory, no joke." 

"Do you remember what's in that fridge."

"It's not that horrible. It's jack full of animals. Like puppies and kittens and shit."

Frasier made a face. "Shit, I didn't think you were that goddamn sick."

"Actually they're just for my ex that I just mentioned. She loves animals and I wanna give em' to her."

"You can't win a girl over with a bunch of responsibility."

"Nah, she's different." Brett smiled. "She always wanted to be like the head of an exotic fucking monkey orphanage."

"Why the fuck do you love a girl like that."

"She's a-hell-of-a-lot different from other peeps. You'd probably like her."

"You've officially reached degenerate status, my friend. Anyways, take a right. Rookie is in the area, chasing down our new members I was telling you about."

"If we arrive with them dead we're as screwed as our shot-down colleagues."

~~

"I need to pee really badly." Natalie told Luzean.

"Go and do it or you'll piss yourself."

"I'm not a little piss boi like you." Natalie puffed her lips towards him. "I had a dream you worked in Hadley Mall, at a cookie store. And I was roller skating back and forth in front of the store to get your attention. Then somehow you had my sweater, so when I finally went inside you disappeared. And I asked the manager for you, but apparently you never existed. And I never got my sweater. :("

"You know, I can actually see that happening," Luzean said with genuine curiosity. "Did anything happen afterward?"

"My dad came in. and bought a cookie, then left. Then I had a bike and rode off into some light. And I woke up."

"Woah. We should remake that dream in real life." Luzean smirked.

"Nooooo, it was so stupid."

"Why were you on roller skates though, and why the fuck was I working at the cookie store."

"I don't know bro. I know there's an interstate 91 in the mall, and I went there once and had so much fucking fun. And I know there's this cookie store my mom's been going to a lot lately. So I put them together. I don't know why. Plus, I can't really see you working at a job-job despite being the right age you dipshit. Oh, and I remember you taking the cookies in a bag and tying them up."

"You only remember dreams that vividly when you sleep for a short amount of time. Do you ever day-dream, Natalie?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Not usually, but I do dream in general. My only dream right now is hoping we get our asses out of here soon." She took out a cheese stick. "And to get more of these. Yum." She nibbled on the cheese stick.

"Can't you help James down there?" Luzean asked her. "I'm sure things would be easier if it was two against one." 

"I don't really know the full scale of what my ability can do. All it can do is minor healing at the moment."

"All mine does is forge written material and some other things. Hurts me every time I use it too, so I'm not really much help either."

"Maybe we'll learn more if we put ourselves in harm's way, don't you think?"

Luzean thought about that. "Do you have any paper in your bag?"

~~

James peered his head outside the kitchen, viewing a hall that led to a staircase to the close right, an open living room farther upright, a dining room paralleling that and the exit directly ahead of view. Eyes wide open, he stared at the people trying to run out the house, and there were some people trying to get upstairs. There were several people chilling out on the stairs themself.

James thought to himself for a good moment, thinking of what he could possibly do in this situation. He peered at the people on the stairs better, realizing how dumb everyone looked when they were terrified, and began to whisper to himself. "What could I do here..." He made small shards of glass appear from his hands. "I can move through mirrors, but damn good could that possibly have in this situation..? Then again, how would it be my fault if everyone died on the spot right now? After all, to them, I'm just a guy passing through right?" James put his hand in the light, to see how it interacted with the glass. "But mainly, my objective is to have no attention put on me---" Colorful beams of light refracted off of James' hand, blasting several holes into the wall. James' eyes widened and he looked up....and throats began to splatter. Oh god. "Fuck it."

James ran up the stairs with no hesitation, but fast enough to dodge all the blood as to not ruin his clothes. He took out his small phone, typing a message to Fortunata. "I love you, Fortunata." He wrote the message in preparation but didn't send it. After settling the phone in his pocket, James looked around for any mirror to hide in, so no more deaths could be made. He eventually found a bathroom door within a giant bedroom. He jumped over all the people on the ground and forced the door open. There was someone throwing up in the toilet. Quickly, before the guy could put his head up, James jumped into the mirror and fell on the ground.

James looked around but quickly realized the field he could travel was limited, and need the mirror in a different position if he wants to make it anywhere out the door. James shook the guy throwing up, tugging his shirt with a tight grip. The man was terrified at the supposedly invisible force and began to scream. James opened his mouth to shout over him, but quickly realized only muffled, inaudible nonsense came to fruition. He then stuck his head out of the mirror. "HEY, YOU! Stop crying and pick up the goddamn mirror bro. :(" James then shot his head back inside where he couldn't be seen. The man was scrambling and looked completely goddamn confused. There was also throw up all around the seat. Gross. James stuck out his lips. "Ewugh... but wash your hands first you filthy fuck."

"W-Where do I bring..it??" Said Filthy Fuck.

"Somewhere where there are more mirrors, I don't know lol."

With the mirror moving, James' plane view shifted and he moved along it. Doing touring of his moving space, he eventually found a mirror in a children's bedroom, along with one in the distant hallway. He quickly ran towards the mirror he came from and yelled out to the guy. "This is perfect! Lay it here on the ground by the door. Please stay here, I may need you again."

With a smirk, James walked around all the helpless people and began to examine each one.

~~End of _Pollen_ ~~


	7. Palliative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relief

_Firenze, Italia. 16:10_

The sun ran bright, collaborating with the earthly terrain and structures to create overcasting and cooling shadows. Kids ran around the grassy areas away from the brick pavement near the plaza. Below, in the plaza were plenty of teenagers, many seated along the stairs in their individual groups. Lovers of late age strolled about the sidewalk and middle-aged adults in their business attire populated most of eye's view. Some moving along quickly as if late for work, and others on the phone pleasantly walking to their car. The streets were quite busy, with an accident nearly occurring nearby. The markets seemed to be booming, with people walking away from the sellers satisfied, carrying bags that held a plentiful amount of food. Many of them lived in homes nearby, with others leaving via bike or going down the hill. In the distance we're the noises of men, some joyful and some sorrowful while playing a game of Bocce.

Fortunata sat alone by a bar under a small umbrella table, looking out for someone while enjoying a small cup of coffee and a sandwich. She was wearing a sunny-pink, double-breasted trench coat supported by a black leopard scarf, along with black, thigh-high translucent stockings under black leather knee-boots. As usual, her hair was a mess.

Fortunata took notice upon two nuns in the distance, one was holding a basket of fruits and the other had picked up a 100-Dollar Euro, looking around for anyone who may have dropped it. Fortunata, seeing the opportunity opened up her purse and put her self in a casual position, waiting for the nun to notice her. While the nun was looking her way, Fortunata faked her attention, trying to make it seem like she had just lost it. The nuns came over. 

Fortunata put down her purse. "(I didn't realize that had fallen out my bag. If you didn't notice, the area was a bit breezy not too long ago and must have occurred then.)" Fortunata's deception seemed innocent and passed by without question. Her expression and tone reflected this, showing no signs of dishonesty or doubt in her face.

The nun with the dollar had a distinct birthmark on her cheek. She stood at average height and had a few hairs sticking from under her coif. The other was silent and squinting her eyes from the sunlight. She seemed to be looking around hurriedly, probably because of a scheduled bus ride.

The nun spoke. "(Young lady, do you recognize us? Your name is, 'Fortunata', no?)" The nun looked stern. Fortunata gave her a dumbfounded look. "(That is my name. I do not recognize you. I don't remember things I don't care about.)" Fortunata turned her head to cough, smiling and twitching her eye. "(The money was a bribe.)" She thought.

"(I respect your honesty.)" The nun said. "(I was your teacher in grade school, Ms. Brambilla and this is my associate, Mrs. Ferrante. She taught you alongside me down in Napoli in our private school. _Giovani_ _Studiosi_ _di Campania_.)"

"(Well, I don't remember either of you, so let's focus on the present. I'm interested in where you two are headed.)" Fortunata expressed interest, but knew that beginning and closing a conversation without tangents is the fastest way out.

She expressed an expected discontent. "(Mrs. Ferrante is on her way to an orphanage to give fruits as a sweet way to start the year as well as the first Sunday. After teaching I went on to Nursing and Environmental Service for the community.)"

Fortunata took a bite of her sandwich but didn't take her eyes off the nun.

"(Right now...well, I'm sure you've heard of the organization, **Veleno** , haven't you?)"

Fortunata didn't chew for a second and began to listen with intention. She then nodded as a signal.

"(The organization has recently collaborated with a third party gang that has been growing rapidly. With that, the distribution of drugs and normalization of gang activity has risen among the youth. I'm planning to meet with whoever is running of all it and propose a truce from the Church.)"

"(Don't you ever think about how those horrible people acknowledge what they're doing? There may be more to it then what lies on the surface. Humans are gullible and naive to things they don't understand and will take someone's false word for truth since it's all they know.)" Fortunata crossed her legs. "(I'm not making a defense case, but you should reconsider what you're doing, especially when you're throwing yourself into such a world I doubt you understand.)"

Ms. Brambilla looked into the distance for a moment.

"(It's like my situation here, Ms. Brambilla. Surely there must be a reason I want that dollar, that I went as far as to falsely claim it as mine. Why else would I be so desperate to deceive you?)"

Ms. Brambilla was struggling to come up with something to say.

"(In fact, I believe deception is a great thing. Because with deception both people feel happy, even if the receiver believes in a counterfeit-happiness that isn't true. But the truth hurts, no? It's easier to believe lies in life because lies are comforting and help us block away what we don't want to believe. Who knows if the bible was right about Hell? Someone could have easily wrote in their own made up scripture for all we know. The book is over 2000 years old after all. I'd say Hell is full of orange juice, not fire. Seriously, what could be worse than orange juice? I'd rather liquify some dirt and drink that. :) And if you just would have given me that 100 dollar Euro, I would have been happy, played a game of bowling, and bought a cute little frog to satisfy my urge of caring company, and you would have walked away thinking you did something generous and right for a cute and honest girl. But you messed up a bit there, didn't you?" )

Ms. Brambilla looked disappointed in herself.

"(I suggest sticking to what you can do, Ms. Brambilla. You should go to this place called Massachusettes in America, perhaps teach some kids there. I hear it's a very fine education-based state. And it's perfectly in-tact with your profession. Now go on, you'll miss your bus.)"

The 100 Euro was handed over to Fortunata, and she put it in her bag without thought. "(I basically just saved that woman. I shouldn't feel bad for everything I said. She'll forget about it, and you shouldn't hold so much weight on a person you'll have no responsibility for, ever again.)"

Ms. Brambilla narrowly missed the bus, and Fortunata was silently rooting for her. Before long, Fortunata took out her phone, quickly short-cutting James' number. "5-2-6-33-7777"

~~

James prepared an investigation on the skimping house guests, searching the faces of who was left. Everyone near the staircase were in eternal slumber. Anyone else was shutting their eyes shut and hid in nearby rooms. 

Entering the closest bedroom, people were crying and balling up. Some were darting their heads around and others didn't budge. James inspected each one carefully. No one stood out and there seemed to be humanity galore. Still invisible to their eyes, James headed to another room, one down the hallway and past the staircase. 

The room was the master bedroom, filled with people but morbidly silent. Many were all crowded into one corner, preparing for something to enter through the door, but an equal amount was scattered about, under furniture and in laundry baskets. James ran back to the host mirror, whispering to Filthy Fuck. "Bring it upstairs."

Filthy Fuck grabbed the mirror and dragged it up the stairs, cracking it a bit. This made a small cut on James' face that he didn't notice. The mirror was put in the hallway intersection of 3 bedrooms, one holding Luzean and Natalie, who refused to open their eyes. James entered that room first, looking around only to find a room full of dead people. He turned around to investigate another room, but Filthy Fuck raised his leg and kicked the shit out of the mirror, shattering it to pieces and throwing James out the mirror world. He lied collapsed on the floor, bleeding from his hands due to various cuts.

Filthy Fuck spoke. "Names' Jethro, dude. You don't have to but I suggest you go into that room with your friends. I'm gonna need you to take that gun the girl has and shoot everyone in these opposing rooms, and make it quick, I kinda have somewhere to go."

He dropped a bottle of Ipecac syrup that rolled beside James' face and pulled out a silver pistol, pointing it at James' general direction. James took some time to finally study Jethro.

He wore a dark teal suit over a lavender shirt and purple tie. His hair was brown and he had light bangs covering most of his forehead, with straightened hair that fell down on all subsequent sides of his head.

"You did a good damn job blending in". James told him genuinely.

"I did a lot of drama in high school. Have you considered joining? You're very expressive." Jethro showed the same genuine demeanor.

"Woah, really? :D"

His excitement was shortlived as he got shot in teeth again.

"KA-FUCK!!!". James shouted in brief agony, covering his mouth as the blood poured in-between is fingers. Luzean cringed and Natalie prepared her spiders.

"I would kill you guys now, but as I'm sure you know, this organization doesn't necessarily run on the lives you take. It's all about taking people in." Jethro spoke as if trying to make them comply. "Now your completely and utterly defenseless right now. Try to contain yourself as your little mentor comes by."

~~ 

Frasier and Brett are now in an Ice Cream truck. The original driver was in the back, keeping his mouth shut with 1,000 dollars in hand. They pulled up towards Cloe's house, prompting some kids to come over. Then like normal ice cream men, handed out ice cream to all the kids and parents. "Does he actually like Ice cream that much?" Brett asked Frasier.

"Nah, but he's always wanted to try a Sonic Popsicle. Apparently, he has a very convoluted history with the damn thing and will take whatever opportunity necessary to get it."

"But he won't literally stop everything he's doing to come and get it right? That's just retarded."

"Well of course not. But it'll get is mind unfocused for sure, and he'll probably try to make room in his plans to come and get it."

"How do you even know all this?"

"We played Poker a couple of times."

~~

James' phone rang. "Fortunata <3" The phone read. Bliss filled James' mind and he answered with brief but unalarmed hesitation. " _Buonasera_ _, bella mia_ _Fortunata_ _:)_ "

" _Ciao,_ _tu_ _bambino piccolo,_ " Fortunata told him. "Have you checked Newgrounds today?" 

"Nah I haven't. Anything new?" 

"Yeah, like I knew the site was pretty damn sexual before but it's being plagued with 'PLAYBOY' ads and videos. Probably because of the holidays, but damn I swear, Newgrounds is getting hornier by the day. But they featured a new flash animation called _Mario's Mistake,_ and I was gonna talk to you about it. But this little bish is too late."

"I'm sorry, Fortune. I'll watch it when I get back home. At a New years breakfast at the moment."

"Ah, that's alright. I'm having a New Years' dinner later on tonight with my own family."

James lied on the ground, hearing Jethro walk over him.

Jethro poked at Luzean, noticing something was off. Below Luzean's leg was a piece of paper, showing a self-portrait. James fought against the urge to look, hearing the paper tear and a light thud in the distance.

"Extended family, or just your household?" James asked her, curling the hair on his head.

"Extended," Fortunata told him as she noticed her guest approaching her in the distance. "I'll have family coming from Sicilia. I hate it though because I can never understand them."

James suddenly heard Jethro leave the room making him feel slightly urgent, but still pulled to continue the phone call.

"Don't forget daylight savings occurs on the 3rd of April this year, so we'll have more time to talk to one another". Fortunata spoke to the mind of a distanced James.

~~

Luzean has taken initiative, using a newly discovered part of his ability. A green '2' was Tatto'd on his hand. Luzean glided down the stairwell, making as little noise as possible in between his brief movements. With the lack of noise, no one noticed his presence, and so he was able to move swiftly and safely. Eventually, with careful maneuvering, Luzean flung himself into the kitchen as his '2' wore off. Quickly, he looked around the room for any potential weapons to use. He initially found a suitable knife, perfect for the job. He caught at the corner of his eye a butcher's knife and took that instead. Luzean was satisfied with his weapon of choice and heard Jethro's tense footsteps clamoring down the stairs.

Luzean then took notice of a cabinet by the sink, thinking of a cheesy thing he could possibly do. 

Just then, Jethro cut a corner and ran into the kitchen. The moment he took a step, Luzean covered the area beneath his foot with pure ink, causing Jethro to fall face-up on the floor. At that moment, Luzean threw a box full of Kitchen utensils that all were set at a gravity of a blue '1'. Now in position above Jethro, Luzean simultaneously set every utensil to a gray '8' causing the knives, forks, and even the spoon to plummet into his body at speed only picturing a blur to the eye, causing blood to splatter along every inch of his torso.

The ink came from Luzean's cut open wrist. He ran back upstairs to be healed my Natalie. He also sneezed along the way.

Jethro, barely moving, summoned his wanderer. It was a tall and lanky figure, supporting a few small white flowers on its shoulders. It had closed eyes all about its chest, and a blindfold over its eyes. Its mouth was open as it listened to Jethro's command. It understood Jethro's request and took a pretty knife from under its wing. Jethro promptly stuck the knife into the Wanderer's chest, and they became one, removing most of Jethro's wounds.

Jethro stood back up, soaked in blood and ink. Without a moment's past, it snapped to him. Jethro popped up and ran upstairs, taking a left to the small bedroom. The frightened restraints within were screaming and hiding in a corner away from him, as he threw off all his clothes and wore whatever he could find in the dresser. He ended up wearing a white t-shirt with a cartoon monkey covering its eyes, along with denim shorts. After successfully getting dressed, Jethro stepped out of the room and opened his hands. Within an instant, every drop of blood spilled in the house vanished, all of it seeping into Jethro's palms.

He arrived at the front door, took a deep breath, and made his exit. Everyone on the porch had vanished. "Seems like a lot of people already ran away..." Jethro said to himself, sighing. "There's no doubt someone called the police already. I should get away quickly." Walking up to the ice cream truck, he felt around for his wallet which was there but realized his gun was missing. He patted around every inch of his body and lightly sighed to himself. Regardless, with excitement, he looked up to Brett, the _ice cream man_ he'd never seen before.

"Hey! I'll take a Sonic Popsicle, please." Jethro took out his wallet.

Brett bent over to get the popsicle and handed it to him. Jethro gave over $2.50 and happily took the ice cream. He unwrapped it quickly and walked off, taking a bite of it. He looked extremely satisfied and seemed to cherish every moment with that damn popsicle. On one specific swallow, he heard a beep come from his throat, and immediately formed an iron knife from the blood he gathered, and urgently shoved it through the side of his neck, and flinging the small bomb out of his trachea, that flew out on the ground beside him.

Jethro limped and quickly turned around, seeing Frasier in his field of view. He angled his knife in between his fingers and shot it directly towards Frasier's chest. Frasier pulled out his detonator, and the knife flew right into the button, causing the mini-bomb to explode. Jethro was knocked back from the explosion, quickly losing his balance. He looked like he wanted to yell something, but it's too bad he literally couldn't. At this point, he was quite far from Frasier, but Frasier ran towards him anyway, preparing to throw the knife.

Jethro screamed a muffled, ' _Indigo_ ', but all that came out was a garbled mess. The knife went straight into his left eye. Oh, the irony. A buzzing started to come beside his ear.

A bee flew by eyesight, and he quickly touched it, where his body was quickly pulled from anyone's view.

"Goddammit". Frasier said out loud. "Goddamn Indigo, goddammit".

Brett came up from behind. "Okay, _Mrs. Wallace_. That durability was disgusting. He without a doubt killed his wanderer. Is there any drawback to doing that?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But they're fun to talk to, you know?" Frasier didn't sound too hot. "Hopefully the kids are alive. I have a five-dollar bet on stake."

~~

Natalie's phone rang.

"Aajdjsalkdkas". She uttered complete jibberish.

"Sorry, I only took 2 months of Turkish," Frasier told her jokingly. "Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah." Natalie sounded as if she was struggling to do something. "We're getting out of the house now."

Frasier titled his head to the side of the house, viewing Natalie on the phone, scared to jump out the window. They were on the third story, and she had created a huge spider web to land on. She fell off after Luzean and James begging her to come down, and she eventually did, bouncing off the Web and nearly collapsing on the ground, but Luzean cushioned her fall. Frasier threw his hand on his face. "I'll be leaving for Van Horn Park now to check the area. Get over here as soon as you can, sort out anything you need to with your parents. If you can't make it you gotta tell me."

James took the phone from Natalie. "I already have a plan figured out. We'll be going to the store first, and we'll meet you guys by the park in about 10 minutes."

"Sounds good," Frasier told him. "Watch out for Jethro, he may still be around. But I wouldn't worry much, he seems over with today."

~~End of _Palliative_ ~~


	8. Payment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woodchips

The corner store seemed to be untouched before Luzean, Natalie, and James had gone in. The small store didn't have much to write home about, but the location seemed to previously be a barbershop due to the mirrors and checkerboard flooring. The owner sat half-asleep behind the counter, sitting around various chip bag wrappers beside an aisle full of off-brand cereal.

He had a small TV beside him that hardly made any noise beside static and inaudible voices. Luzean had a bag of munchies and cotton candy flavored soda, emitting this distinct blue refraction of his hand. James looked around when some gum caught his eye. Upon inspection, he figured out that It was branded by **[Esc] REALITY** , its label stamped on the bottom right of the packaging. James picked it up and turned it over, seeing it had no barcode or price tag. James feels no regret in morality when it comes to stealing, but it seemed to be up for grabs. While busy with that, he inspected for any more items branded by **[Esc] REALITY** , while Luzean turned his head to view what Natalie was getting.

She picked up a can of Sardines and a jar of olives, inspecting both thoroughly. "The fuck are you tryna get?" Luzean slightly scolded, building a justified slight look of disgust. "Shushies". She retorted. "You don't know what struggle food is like, hun." Luzean walked up to her, barely lifting his shoes off the ground. "Yes I goddamn do, I was poor too but at least I wasn't eating any goddamn raccoon carcasses off the street." Natalie cringed at the statement. "Ewww, I wouldn't do that shit". She stuck out her tongue. "That's extreme". Luzean looked back at the isle of unhealthy snacks. "If you're gonna eat goddamn sardines out a can, you might as well be".

Natalie dropped her jaw. "Bitch, look at this". She raised a box of octopus legs. "My mouth is literally watering, bro". Her voice was so genuine it was disturbing. She then lifted a loaf of bread, holding it beside the olives. "Bro, this is legit a whole meal. My cravings are set, I could legit scarf this down right now". Luzean's face looked repulsive. "HA." Natalie continued. "I hope you throw up". Luzean held his mouth. "Honestly, at this pace, you may succeed in doing that. I won't mind taking a bath with my working toaster tonight". Natalie laughed and put the food down. "It's not that baddd, stoppit. You just hold your nose and swallow." Natalie got a horrible thought. "You know what's really bad? GRITS. THOSE ARE FUCKING DISGUSTING".

Luzean snorted. "God, my grandma used to make that shit every single morning." Natalie chuckled and spoke. "I hate it so goddamn much. My own grandma made it once, and she put FUCKING LEMON PEPPER ON IT and told me and my siblings to eat it. Bitch, as soon as she turned that shit was down the SINK".

"Ewughh". Luzean felt truly disgusted and had a flashback of his own. "One time, my grandpa just gave me a big ass plate full of just grits. _CHEESE_ GRITS DUDE." Natalie cringed at the thought. "EWWW, that's so bad!" Luzean nodded. "Every time he turned I spat that shit in my napkin".

"My grandma used to just _stand there_ ". Natalie said. "And wait for us to eat it. If I actually did eat it, I needed a whole jar of water so I can just chug that shit down. You would not see me eating it by itself, with no liquid substance by any chance."

"I'd just throw it at the wall, to be honest". Luzean told her.

"No you wouldn't, stoppo. That's bu hao." Natalie spoke Chinese briefly.

"The wall be hungry sometimes". Luzean said in argument, making a flushed face.

"Your bitch ass would not stick it on the wall unless you want your ass whooped".

"Listen, I don't want to hear it from the fucker with pregnancy cravings".

"Knowing you visualizing these things makes you uncomfortable makes me feel empowered". Natalie's wanderer, Arachne, formed into existence, looking around the snacks. It eventually poked around at a bag of Dill-pickle chips. The action prompted Natalie to move down, and grab those. She kept talking to Luzean but twiddled her fingers with Arachne out of his sight.

Soon after, Luzeans wanderer came into presence for the first time, staring at the dill-pickle chips Natalie had picked up. Luzean had no idea his wanderer has entered yet, and Natalie couldn't see it herself as it made itself invisible to her. However, Arachne had him clear insight.

"Y'know, I kinda want some of those myself". Luzean said, bending down to get a bag of his own, but there were none left. After the realization, he came back up disappointed. Arachne gave Luzean's wanderer a dirty look, and Natalie gripped harder to the bag. "I'm not sharing". Natalie told him cheekily. Luzean's expression hardened to a resting bitch face. He walked up to Natalie with a hand out of her sight, using his ability to write on a bag of Cheetos, forging the labeling into a bag of _spicy_ dill-pickle chips. "Fine". Luzean walked towards the exit when Natalie noticed the new bag of chips. "WOAH, WAIT". Natalie said in surprise. "Okay, I didn't know they had spicy dill-pickle chips! Here, here, here, here". She handed Luzean the regular Dill-pickle chips and grabbed the spicy ones.

"Glad we could make business happen!" Luzean ran out of the store, chips in hand. Natalie's chips morphed back into Cheetos, but she showed no surprise.

"Am I really the one at loss here?!" Natalie said, chasing after him.

Luzean opened the bag of chips when a ton of spiders burst of them. He yelled and tripped over, frightened. "Feichong Hao!" Natalie ran up to his grounded body, laughing up a storm when he suddenly yanked her down with her.

"Goddammit". James quickly follows after them. 

"WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE". The store owner yelled.

"Fuck". James whispered. "Here!" He threw a solid 10 dollars on the table. "That should cover everything! Keep the change!" He ran out. 

"YOU OWE $11.40 YOU CHEAP-ASS KIDS!" The owner yelled out. "THIS IS _TAX_ ACHUSETTES. WE'RE LIVING IN!"

~~

Brett was swinging around the monkey bars, twisting upside down and hanging by his legs. Frasier sat on a small platform by a latter, putting aside his empty container of chicken carbonara and taking off his sunglasses and rubbing his eye. "Why do you wear those?" Brett asked. "Because it's cool". Frasier replied. "Okay, nerd". Brett said, looking into the distance, noticing small figured coming this way. "That's them". He caught his hat as it fell off his head, revealing a frog he'd been keeping in there. Frasier looked at him as if he was crazy.

Natalie dragged James in a webbed-net until she noticed the sack starting to dissolve. "Ah, goddammit". James laid limp on the ground, disappointed. Frasier stuck his chin up, and Brett's eyes widened, trying to make out her face. "Looks like your usage of whimsicality is all up". Frasier told her. Natalie flicked her head towards him. "Oh really? How could you tell?" She asked sarcastically. "Well, for one, you're blinking normally again".

She chuckled and looked at Brett, holding a grudged face with her glasses. "BRETT?"

"NATALIE??!!" Brett lost balance and fell from the monkey bars, falling on his back.

"Oh, don't fucking tell me..." Frasier mumbled to himself.

Natalie ran up to Brett, bent down on her knees and tugged on his shirt. "YOU FUCKING GUGGOTOR!! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH PAIN YOU CAUSED IN MY LIFE??"

Brett yelled. "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY YOU FUCKING BROKE UP WITH ME. YOU WERE THE ONE SPILLING FUCKING DIET COKE IN MY CAR AND BLASTING FUCKING BEYONCE EVERY CHANCE YOU COULD GET".

Natalie started crying. "YOU NEVER BOUGHT ME ANYTHINGGGG!!!!!"

Brett's jaw dropped. "LISTEN, I SPEND A FUCKING DIME ON YOU, BUT I STILL GOT YOU GIFTS EVEN IF THEY WERE STOLEN!!"

"AM I NOT WORTH YOUR MONEYYY?????" Natalie cried on his chest.

Brett tried to pick her up. She punched the shit out of him. "NO". She yelled. "YOU DON'T HAVE CARRYING PRIVILEGES. 

"IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, I KEPT EVERY RUBBER DUCK YOU EVER GAVE ME, AND I HAVEN'T STOPPED THINKING ABOUT YOU EVER SINCE WE BROKE UP TWO WEEKS AGO". He pointed towards his car. "I EVEN HAVE A PRESENT FOR YOU."

Natalie potted, and lifted her leg. "You shall." Brett, in response, carried her in a bridal position. James looked disappointed, and Natalie gave him a sorry look in response.

Luzean sat nearby on a slide, and Frasier rested his face on his palm, astonished at the stupidity.

"How's the band?" Natalie asked Brett, wrapping an arm around him. "The band's great". he told her. "But we kinda sorta rebranded our name. Instead of the poor unfortunate, 'Silent H', we are now the rich and prosperous, 'Everyday is Wednesday'.

"Yeah, a rich and _prosperous band_ that performs its jigs at a goddamn Home Depot and practices in a shitty garage that smells like snuffed joints and projectile excrement".

Brett smirked at her and started to walk around with her in arms. "You know, me and Frasier-bud over there used to have a little band ourselves called _Sex Apocalypse back in 95'"._ Frasier poked his head towards them. "We are not gonna fucking talk about that right now you fucking dips". He looked at his watch. "Come close you guys so I can start this goddamn meeting". Brett and Natalie sat on the Woodchips and James sat by Luzean.

Frasier lit a cigarette using a tiny bomb and put the butt in his mouth. " **[Esc] REALITY** isn't an ordinary organization, as I know you can tell at this point. It's a gang, but it's not built entirely off of evil as most people think. Time after time, without your knowledge, the organization has funded schools, orphanages, the homeless, grants individuals tailored-opportunities, and everything in between with no obligation. And it's not through deception, it is genuine. But the organization also participates in murder, drug distribution, kidnapping, and everything else you can think of. But it's just to give people what they want, to scratch that human urge that we all share, no matter how wicked or how pure the person maybe". He slumped over a bit. "But is it a bad thing? No matter how fucked up what you love maybe, even if it's completely unaccepted by society, it's still as much as an urge as it is just loving a show or loving a woman. Just to an extreme degree, people can't accept. Putting it like this, **[Esc] REALITY** is literally letting you escape an undesirable life or situation without you needing to spend a penny. But the position we're in is special, though you guys are a bit tentative at the moment. The boss, Vizzed, supports me and Brett as trusted individuals, and he really wants to give you guys a chance in this opportunity, but you need to gain his trust and prove yourself to him. I say _him_ lightly, by the way. You're going to need to think of a good scheme within the next 3 months that will truly impress him, which shouldn't be that huge due to your age. But yeah, take your time and think of something elaborate because if you succeed, we're really gonna be going places. If you want bad money, you're gonna have to do bad things. If you want a good reward, you gotta do something righteous. _There's nothing wrong with exploiting human nature_."

"How does the organization get so much money? And what's the deal with Jethro?" James asked him.

"I'm not sure". Frasier told him. "As Vizzed puts it, 'I live off your madness'. Not entirely sure how gets profit from that though." Frasier leaned on a bar by his side. "Jethro is one of many leading faction members in this organization, equipped with recruits of his own. His ability, as you might have figured out, kills witnesses of the host he grants, which is why people were murdered at the sight of you guys. Because of this fact, he works extremely well in crowded areas, but in previous experience, I've learned that an allergy user cannot be killed by the sight of another allergy user. Thanks to him, you have no one to connect you to whatever happened in that house."

"And what about the _Pollen Gun_?" Natalie asked. "What is that all about?"

"Well, I might as well tell you what this pollen is all about. Pollen, or more specifically, Whimsical pollen, is what's driving the organization right now. Not too long ago, the organization discovered a special breed of dandelions, one capable of exposing the fourth dimension a bit. When the pollen from these dandelions is applied to objects, food, or people, it temporarily will enhance the affected substance to show a glimpse of its true colors in a plane of existence higher than ours. The pollen was used to make medicine beyond modern science, so Vizzed offered it to American Hospitals to cure advanced diseases like cancer, and quite literally any other disease or disability. But because that wouldn't be financially viable, the hospitals denied it, and the government is trying its hardest to ban it. This made Vizzed so angry that he decided to make whimsical pollen completely public, exposing it to the outside world, which is made an example in the Pollen Gun. You can use it to quite literally shoot a huge dose of pollen into your body, which is a huge advantage in this organization." Frasier leaned over to Natalie, prompting her to give the gun to him. "Even after giving me this gun though, I can't promise that you won't be chased, they likely want to know the location from you. Jethro has other members in his faction just as we do, so be on alert for attacks".

Brett followed on Frasier's words. "So nothing that we do with this is magic, it's just taking advantage of what the objects are like in the fourth dimension but we see it on a third-dimensional plane, essentially making 3.5D people, I guess. But as you know, the effects are temporary, which is why you need to consume more of it. Something that happened to you through the peppermints."

James took out the gum he found at the corner store. "Like this?"

"Just like that". Frasier told him. "Chew that gum and you'll get another dose. I doubt it would last long though".

Natalie spoke up. "Dandelions seem like a perfect symbol for the organization then. Not only is it the catalyst, but dandelions spread their seeds rapidly and far, like the pandemic the organization is setting out the create". Frasier winked his eye. "Ride on. Because its effects are fairly new, a lot of the first abilities were very basic, dealing with common allergies. But now that more people are becoming users, their abilities are becoming more and more elaborate. People can even have the same ability, but based on who they are, it may be completely different from another user with the same allergy. But I should ask this. Why do you guys wanna join this organization?"

Natalie spoke first. "I want to secure my family's needs for the rest of their lives and make sure way of my own volleyball career, even if it means following this bitch-ass to Italy". She was referring to James. "But I'm also sick of the rich life, full of expectations and family roles set down upon me. I want to pave my own life and mold my own path, not simply continue what my parents have already accomplished. I want to feel alive, you know. Something meaningful. Not just unearned wealth." She sounded very sure of herself. James continued after her.

"I want to abandon my mundane life for something much more favorable and moldable, all in uninterrupted bliss with my girlfriend in Italy. Every day, I do the same old thing, but I know there's more out there. My life currently isn't horrible by any means, but there just has to be more to it. I don't know, I just feel like me and my friends deserve more than what we get, in a shitty society that holds us down to fail". James made his point clear. "I don't care what it takes, and I could care less about what strangers think of it, because what does their opinion truly matter to us? I wanna take advantage of the duality of man, and subsequently this organization, to get that freedom and happiness I want, even if it means leaving everything else behind. The consequence is worth it. And well, this may sound kinda dorky, but I wanna profit my mother and make her happy. I wanna give back after all the shit I put her through. As much as she denies it, I'm in her debt." Frasier looked at him about that, but smiled. "I'm going to be talking with you about that later. Not that it can't happen, but I have a feeling Vizzed has something to say about it. Luzean?"

"I haven't really thought about it until earlier. But I just want to get away from my parents and make a name for myself somewhere outside of this country, even if it's Italy. I want a life, person, place, or thing that brings no stress, one without the burden of a family...one without my mother, something that can't be taken away from me. Something perfectly happy that's permanent, meaningful and cant be erased. Like ink". Frasier nodded and gave him a fist bump. "Brett and I will be checking up on you guys every so often. Just know that during the summer is when things are gonna get real, alright. If we just take the right paths, we can make all those things come true guys". He got up. "By the way, it's not a necessity, but if you want you can give your vow a name. But please, don't make it cheesy or dumb". He started to walk off. "It's around 3 pm right now, so you guys should figure out the situation with James' family. I'll see y'all soon".

Natalie tackled on to Brett. "I'm coming with you". She told him. 

Frasier cringed. "If Natalie's coming, imma just walk home".

"Well, I hope your calves are built. I'll be taking this lass on a date tomorrow, so get used to walking for a bit". Brett told him, as Natalie's face glowed up. "Oh, yea, Frasier you still on the delivery job tomorrow?" 

"Yeah, I'm going by helicopter" Frasier responded.

"What are you delivering, Frasier?" Natalie asked.

"It's a ton of whimsical pollen coming from a train in Pennsylvania. I'll be leaving there tonight and bringing here in Massachusetts to grow more for us. The boss arranged a flight and everything for me, so it's all figured out."

James stepped up. "What does the 'copter look like, though?"

"It's a pretty old helicopter, so it's been vandalized to death. The only one of its kind. Anyways, I need to get their early and I have another car at home, so I should stop wasting time."

Everyone began to walk off from the supposed Cue. 

"Hold on, everyone," Frasier said, to the surprise of them all. They all turned back and stared at him. "I didn't bring you guys to this park for no reason." The sun shined brightly as it began to dawn. Half of Frasier was shadowed, and the other half, which took up more of his body, shined brightly. 

"Damn, can't believe I forgot myself," Brett mentioned, grinning and walking to stand beside him. Frasier kneeled and peeled away at the wood chips on the ground. Natalie, James, and Luzean stared with a puzzled look on their faces, having no idea what he was digging up. Soon, he finally hit something, and Natalie leaned over in shock. 

Under the wood chips were various weapons and seemingly harmless items. 

"Choose two," Frasier said. "When used in conjunction with your allergies, you can cloak the devices into the 4th dimension. So when you don't wanna carry it around, it'll be over there. When you need it, it'll pop in beside you. It'll be as natural as blinking or moving your arm, you'll know how to do it. 

There was a minigun, a comb, a pen, various types of blades, a sawed-off shotgun, a pen, among other things. James grabbed the comb and examined it, brushing off the dirt. It was a pink comb, supported with a handle and vertical bristles. The top part was detachable, revealing a knife. "Holy shit," James thought. "I think I'll take this and keep the gun I got from Jethro.

Luzean took the pen and found it to have a detachable blade as well. "So we're using everyday items as weapons." He then grabbed the sawed-off shot-gun. "I'll see what I can do with this."

Natalie couldn't find much of interest. She shifted through enough and phone a little toy phone. "Fuck it, I'll take this," Natalie said. "You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish with it," Frasier remarked. "There's nothing special about that toy phone, but you can make it special" Natalie tilted her head to think of ideas. She then reached her arm for the minigun to feel its weight. "Goddamn, this is a heavy fucker. I'll take it." She sounded far too enthusiastic. 

"It looks like everyone has what they need." Frasier kicked a pile of wood chips over the hole and began to walk off. "Have fun"

Frasier redirected himself away from the car, going towards his home. Natalie dragged along with Brett, and Luzean & James watched them go.

~~

18:43

Luzean walked into his home, not even taking a few steps before his mother walked up to him with an obvious attitude. She was pissed off, giving Luzean a look before tugging his shirt. She lifted the collar of his shirt and checked around, lifted his jaw and viewed his chest. "Did you get all your vacation work done?" She asked him. "Yeah". He told her. "I made sure I finished it all before I left to James' house." Luzean attempted to turn his eyes away, but his mother made him look directly back at her. "What made you think it was a good idea to leave the house on your own terms?" She scolded. "Are you grown now? You need to tell me these things before-hand, not as you're proceeding to do it". Luzean held in his reaction and closed his eyes as she spoke. "I'm sorry". He tried to start to make his way around her until she pulled at his shirt one more time. That annoyed him. "Don't do that shit again, especially on a Sunday". She took his phone and let him go. Luzean proceeded to walk past her and looked up briefly at the chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. 

After that, he took off his shoes by the stairs and headed to the kitchen, getting a tub of pistachio ice cream. "My favorite". He said to himself. Luzean then went to the pantry, opening a bin labeled, 'old stuff'. He scurried around the bin, moving around his old toys, pictures, and school work. He eventually flipped through an empty notebook with the heading, _Luzean 4th Math_ on the front. Beside the notebook was an old letter, the likes of which was a yellow and green construction paper with the label, "Mother's Day" on the front. There was a small cartoon of a happy kid on the bottom left. He shifted it off towards the bottom of the bin. He took it and grabbed a pen stuck in between the cushions of his couch. He proceeded up the stairs, walking steadily when going across his mother's room and to his. His little sister down the hall took a glimpse at him but quickly went back to what she was doing.

Entering his room, he shut the door behind him and looked down at the floor. He noticed a monstrous shadow casting away all the way down to his feet, overcasting the lamp's light in the room. He looked up, revealing his new wanderer. "What do I call you. He asked the being, obscured in the darkness. "Habar." He looked completely beaten up from the details Luzean could make it, and what seemed to be bandages wrapped around it. "What are you going to do in that notebook?" Habar asked ominously. 

Luzean sat in a nearby chair and crossed his legs. "I'm going to write all the reasons I should do what I'm going to do to my mother". He looked at a small mirror on his desk, by some Flinstones gummies and empty cartons of eggnog. "And maybe even perform a little experimentation on my appearance".

~~End of _Payment_ ~~


	9. Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School

19:22

"Luzean isn't messaging back". James wrote at his computer, speaking to Natalie. He sat on his bed, pulling the keyboard above the floor on his lap, looking like at any moment the wire could snap. The light-emitting from the computer shed little details on James' attire. He wore short white socks with small grape designs, a short-sleeved black shirt with a white '[Z?]' logo on the front, and generic purple shorts with a single stripe on each leg. Beside his knee was a mug supporting a design resembling the barrels from Sonic 3's, _Carnival Night Zone_.

"You know how his mother is". She wrote back. "It feels like every other time Luzean comes back home he gets his phone taken away". James contemplated and typed back a response quickly. "Do you think she ever reads the conversations we have with him?" Natalie's message back now took time. "If she did, we wouldn't be seeing him. Maybe it's just a thing she does. I feel like Luzean deletes all his messages the opportunity he gets". 

James stretched his back, throwing his arms into the air. He then proceeded to set the computer to sleep mode and laid down on his messy bed, adjusting his position to avoid the various game disks and CD cases crawling at his back. He then pulled out the gun he had stolen from Jethro, rotating its position along with the gleam of the dim street lamps. He had been practicing his aim on Natalie's stolen pokemon cards which had been struck on the wall via thumbtack. He took another shot, missing the cards once more, joining the collage of stray bullets. The gun was completely silent, and shot colorful shards of glass-forming various basic shapes, forming the mess of small dents in the wall.

Suddenly, Kimberly's keys could be heard jingling from a distance as she skipped up the stairs and nudged at the door, and James hid the gun under his pillow. Upon various failures, the moment upon her entry she made light time in the kitchen to put down her things, and barged her way into James's room, wrapping her arms around her son tightly. "God, God...Thank God you're okay, James". She whimpered as she held James above his bed. "Do you know what happened at the cookout yesterday?" She asked him, making loose of her embrace.

James settled himself on the side of the bed. "As far as I know, a lot of people died right? There was an attack of some sort?" Kim nodded her head. "That's right. The police came to investigate but couldn't find how the attack occurred. Everyone who died had their throats sliced open. The po-po are investigating as many witnesses as they can and are likely going to approach us soon." A weight had been placed on James's eyebrows after hearing those words. "So many strange things have been happening recently, I'm really, really glad you weren't around for any of it. There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you". She paused. "James." Her voice sounded weary, and distant cars could be heard pulling up. "A lot of witnesses there mentioned that you were the one who killed all those people...you didn't hurt anyone did you, James? James, please tell me you didn't hurt anyone..." Her voice sounded like it only wanted to hear one answer. Distant footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. James attempted to maintain a calm facade.

James lifted his eyes towards her. "Mom, I didn't stay long after talking to auntie" He scratched his pinky against the bed. "I spoke to a few cousins then Natalie took me and Luzean to Van horn park. I didn't know anything happened until you called me about it." Soon after James finished his sentence, the police called for Kim's name. She gave them a response signaling them where to come to.

"James, is it?" It was a feminine voice. Two police officers entered the cramped room and confronted James, turning on the bedroom light. The female began to speak out her required Miranda warning to James. They were both quite tall, one a white male and the other fair-skinned woman. Their names on their badges were 'Randy. M' and 'Anna. L' respectively. Anna proceeded to speak, taking out a piece of paper and crossing her legs. "How's school and everything?" Somehow, her voice now sounded soothing and inviting, as if trying to gain the trust of James.

"It's just fine. I have mostly B's but there's a few C's I've been trying to bring up." James could keep his cool, but he decided to act tense as if he was completely unaware of this as an event. "Calmness is what all criminals try to pull off, but I need the middle ground" James thought to himself. Anna took notice of James' act. "What's wrong James? You look stiff."

"I'm okay, I've just never been in this type of scenario before. I certainly didn't expect to be cramped in a small room with three adults today." James laughed to himself. "Police always need an indicator for what you do when telling the truth. Maybe laughing or just making smiling remarks, in general, will do the trick." He thought.

"Not a people person, I'm guessing?" Her eyebrows settled in a focused position.

"I'm in a grey area." James had a slight grin.

"What were you wearing at the cookout yesterday?" That question came straight from left field. Her voice shifted in tone. Despite James being in his own room, he somehow felt powerless...unprepared.

"I was wearing a long-sleeved Blockbuster t-shirt. I don't exactly remember my Jeans." James's tone remained steady. He contemplated taking the gun from under his pillow but kept on reassuring himself it wasn't necessary. Anna was sitting laid-back in the wheeled-computer chair, moving around, watching James sit uncomfortably on his bed.

"Have you ever left the first floor?" She asked soon after.

"I never left the first floor. I left the house after greeting some people to wait for my friends to come downstairs." James said, trying to get his pillow out of view.

Anna noticed the lump under his pillow. "What's that?"

"My DS, I was hiding it from my mom..." James smiled showing slight fear he couldn't help.

Anna lifted the pillow with little hesitation. James's smile widened until all that was shown was his actual DS. His gun was gone to the surprise of him. Anna rested her face and let the pillow back down, refusing to take her eyes off him. "Listen James, you and I both know you did it."

"Yeah, right. That's just your interrogation bullshit. Sorry, mom-" She didn't look too pleased with his cussing, but was relieved to feel that he was telling the truth.

Randy walked up in front of James and took out a baggie from his back pocket. It seemed to be a bunch of broken glass put back in place to form an imperfect fragment. He then took out a small device that had a divet on its base. "Do you mind if I check your fingerprint?" He asked. James grinned to himself. "Sure". James told him.

Anna spoke to Kim to catch her up while Randy took James's thumb. "We found several persistent fingerprints all over a mirror in the house, which was declared a new mirror. A family member had told us he had seen only two people enter the bathroom. One of which was the one who proceeded to take all those lives. And apparently, one of them somehow _moved inside_ the mirror, as ridiculous as it sounds."

Randy inspected the fingerprints on the desk and quickly concluded. "They're completely different". He said, disappointed. Anna looked at James and brought Kim out of the room, Randy following after taking the glass back with him. Anna spoke to Kim in the Kitchen. "If you don't mind, we'd like to keep surveillance on your child and possibly interrogate him once more in the future."

Kim wanted to refuse, but sucked it up and nodded in agreement. 

James smiled and looked at his fingers. " _Thanks, Luzean_ ". He thought in his head, as his fingerprint merged back into place. " _If it wasn't for your forging ability, I'd be in a horrible spot right now_ ". He lightly chuckled to himself. "These guys don't even know what they're talking about. Jethro's ability actively _killed_ witnesses. I guess they're interviewing anyone who came out alive in order to narrow it down and assure the press this wasn't another magical incident."

James hadn't noticed, but an abnormally large humanoid figure had formed in front of him, the features of which couldn't be made out. James yelled out and bumped his head as he tried to scurry onto the corner of the room. James quickly realized it must have been a wanderer, the thing Natalie mentioned. He noticed it was holding the gun that had disappeared from under his pillow. The officers quickly made their way into the room. "What's the problem?" Randy said urgently, holding his hand by his holster. 

James struggled to think of anything plausible as he was still dumbfounded. "I, I saw something in the corner of the room...It suddenly went away...Fuck." His voice shrank more narrowly as the sentence went on.

Anna raised a brow. "Have you had any leftover food here James? Perhaps the food served was spiked with hallucinogenic, which would explain all those mirror-magic accusations."

James found an opportunity. "Yeah, I had some on my way back home."

"Well, that gives us something to work off of." She noted to herself. She gave James a dead look and left the room. Being requested help from another police officer via walkie-talkie.

"We'll be seeing you again, James. You're not off the radar yet." Randy dented those words in James's mind.

James bit his pinky. "Ok."

"Why did this wanderer thing have to come now..." He asked himself. 

~~

Two Days Later. 3rd, January. 11:27

"I forgot to mention, I finally saw my wanderer last night". James said, leaning over to Luzean. "It stood ominously in the shadows like an edgy anime villain."

James wore an all-black with long-sleeves school uniform, while Luzean wore a short black shirt over Tacky pants. 

"Did you communicate with it or anything? Mine gave me that huge lecture that Natalie described a few days ago about how they work and everything." Luzean spoke in a way that he could talk over the loud surrounding voices, but alarm the teacher, who was slumped forward in his chair grading assignments. 

They were attending their physics class, sitting on a two-person table in the corner of the classroom by a window. Their work was half done, sloppy, and had smudges all over. On Luzean's paper, in particular, he drew little stick figures running across the various lines of text and poorly drawn faces of their teacher along the side. 

"I tried to, but my mom kept tight surveillance on me that night, so I had no opportunity to approach it mysel-" James was cut off by an approaching student who looked needy. 

"Hey, James." The student said in a hasty voice. "Can I borrow your lead pencil? I broke my pencil and the wall sharpeners in here work like shit." The student had what seemed to be a naturally deep, female voice, but wore a Pikachu sweater that broke school uniform code. She wore a hoodie over her head that had its strings pulled so tightly that all that could be seen was her nose and a bit of curly hair that popped out.

Luzean didn't seem moved. "Natalie is that fucking you." He loosed her hoodie making all her hair puff out along with a bunch of little spiders crawling from the inside. They seemed to be bigger than last time. James was no less startled as he was before but tried to keep his cool. "Haha, you look fucking retarded." He said out of shameless desperation. 

"Wait, that's Luzean?" She asked startled, adjusting her glasses.

"Yes, It's me, Natalie." He had forged his appearance and set it back to normal. "We learned that not only could I forge handwriting, people, or objects, but I can also forge my own appearance albeit after a short time. I saw your spider army is starting to mature a bit. Looks like our allergies are growing." 

"My allergy still fucking sucks ass". James said in disappointment. He summoned some glass in his hand and used it as a make-shift magnifying glass to transmit light and burn one of Natalie's spiders to death, which pinched her in consequence. "OW!" Natalie yelped. "THAT HURT YOU ASS!"

The large plethora of spiders inevitably alerted a nearby student, who freaked out and caused a few eyes to be drawn to their Natalie's corner of the classroom. But as quick as they saw, Natalie made them all disappear within a moment. The nearby students had a low but sudden tone, discussing to each other if what they just saw was real. "Those were nothing more than your eye floaters, children." She told them sarcastically. Not soon after, the teacher yelled toward Natalie. 

"What class should you be in right now?" The teacher's voice was strict and demanding, but you could tell it was starting to rust after years of yelling.

"I'm James's older sister. Our mother had asked me to bring something to him."

"Couldn't you have called the guidance office?"

"Sure, but I haven't seen him in a while."

The teacher grunted and agreed.

"The bullshit is real". Luzean noted, putting his two arms on the desk to rest his head. "What's in the bag? You never wear backpacks."

Natalie took her bag and unzipped it, presenting papers that were inked with a bunch of uniform blank templates. They were blank report cards. "I think I've figured out a way we could get into **[Esc] REALITY** officially, boys. All we have to do is something impressive, right? What about we build our own little empire inside this school selling fake report cards and shit?" She looked really happy about the idea. "We could charge like, a bazillion dollars for each. Knowing how shitty the grades are in your school, getting braindead students to buy these should be no problem at all." Natalie started envisioning the process in her head. "We'd get the word out somehow through one of your friend's, Luzean, saying you know a guy who can make fake report cards. You take the names, I make them, James delivers through their lockers. It's full ka-fucking proof."

James and Luzean gave each other an approving look towards each other. "That sounds good, Nat. If we wanted to, we could also like, buy a few flash drives, and pirate some movies online then sell them on those. No one knows how to do computer shit nowadays, so we'll just sell them this bullshit for half the price."

"That sound's hella good too, James". Luzean told him. "But we should think about spending money on Flashdrives and shit after we get this plan going."

"Yeah, yeah, sounds good to me" James concluded. James took the sheets of paper and stuffed them in his bag smoothly. The bell rang soon after.

"Luzean, what lunch do you have?" James asked, lifting his head from his bag.

"I have third, what about you?"

"Thirdddd!"

The two did a shitty and convoluted hand-shake that concluded in punching Natalie.

"I will literally strangle you sacks of shit." She threatened. 

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask. Why are you actually here at our school?" Luzean asked Natalie. 

"Why'd you stay back, fucker? Anndd did you already forget? Frasier fucking burned my college down the other day. For now, all the teachings have been relocated here in your guy's dumb. The goddamn bathrooms are littered with shitty love and motivation quotes. Highschool is so damn weird." Natalie loosened her sweater, took it off, and wrapped it around her waist revealing her McDonalds Fries designed tank top.

"Oh well." James whimpered, putting his incomplete work in his bag. The teacher yelled out in the background, alerting the class to complete any incomplete work as homework. "That old dude gives us too many chances. I gotta start heading to my next class." On the blackboard in the front of the class was a triangle taking in white light, and projecting several colors. "Do you ever think we'll ever use shit like that on the board in real life?"James asked. Luzean looked up. "Sure, you never know when it could come in handy."

"What do you guys have?" Natalie asked. 

"I have P.E," James told her followed by a sigh.

"I have Computer Science". Luzean said joyfully.

"Going with Luzean on this one James, hehe. We can play some shitty flash games." Natalie replied, her voice growing with excitement.

"Aha," James retorted. "But we're in the middle of our volleyball unit today. Don't you wanna show off your skills against me?" James asked her sneakily.

"Holy Fugg, I hate you." Natalie found herself in a dilemma. "Alright, how about I spend a few minutes down there with you James to bust your ass in a round, then drag Luzeans behind across the floor in flash games on the second half of the block. Then, we'll all meet up during lunch to go to the library or something. I brought my GBA so you guys better have yours."

"Of course." "Why wouldn't I." James and Luzean said respectively. 

~~

Later-ish

Natalie flew through the air flawlessly hit the volleyball over the net. She seemed to be carrying her team, calling 'I got it' every moment she could. James stood at the opposing team in the middle of rotation moving at the setter's position. He performed an underserve that just barely made it over the net, skimming it. The ball was set by a male student in a top-left position and put it in a perfect spot to spike. Natalie, in middle blocker position followed through, lept up, and spiked the ball directly onto James's torso, making him fly back, and the ball shooting over the net again, landing on the boundary line, earning James's side a point.

"More of that, James!" The Female Coach jokingly pointed out. She then headed to her office to get a scoreboard.

"Hey, you guys wanna see something sick?" Natalie summoned Arachne and had her hold the ball for her, making it seem like it was floating in mid-air. "I uh, I am telekinetic or something". The students around her starting spazzing out and began to inspect the ball. Arachne then dropped the ball on to Natalie's proud hand, sending it back into seemingly normal gravity. While the teacher was still out, Arachne threw the ball high up in the air, and tossed up Natalie as well, making it seem like she was jumping on her own. While airborne, Natalie rotated sporadically but in control and at the apex of her height, kicked the ball directly towards James, sending it shooting extremely fast. The students watched in disbelief. 

James's wanderer finally came out, standing in front of James, held out a blade and popped the ball, sending it dead in its momentum. Natalie fell down and was caught by Arachne safely. "James! Your--!" She cut herself off and smiled towards him. James sent back a terrified look.

After numerous seemingly second-long games, Natalie's team had won 25-3. "How does it feel loser-boy?" Natalie teased James.

"Whatever, just face me in bowling and you'll keep your mouth shut then". James said arrogantly, turning away from her.

"I CAN DO ANYTHING!" Natalie yelled at him, as she ran out of the gymnasium. 

~~

Luzean had finished his assignment and made room beside him for Natalie to pull up a chair. "Jesus Christ, why are you so sweaty?" Luzean asked. "You came like last fucking minute. Class is about to end."

"This is the dampness of a bad-ass-ass-smasher" Natalie responded with barely any breath. 

"You smash asses". Luzean asked, making it sound like a statement.

"Yessir I fucking do." She quickly typed 'AZ tsNK gamr'. Her spelling was completely off, but corrected to 'AZ tank game'. "AND NOW I'M GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS."

Not too soon after, Luzean was already up 11 points, with Natalie having nothing. Her frustration almost made it seem like she wanted to cry. "YOU'RE CHEATING, YOU'RE FUCKING CHEATING." Natalie covered Luzean's side of the screen with spiderwebs he could barely see-through. "I fucking despise you, you know that". Luzean told her. 

Luzean purposely let her get a point so she could celebrate, and so she did. "I'M A FUCKING GOD!" She yelled, standing up above her chair. "GET READY FOR COMEBACK CITY BITCH." She didn't notice, but Luzean had used his ability to re-arrange all the keys on her side of the keyboard. Quickly after sitting down, Natalie attempted to start playing again but realized how fucked everything was. The arrow keys were plastered in such a way that made it seem impossible to play without breaking your fingers. "Now we're even," Luzean said snobbishly. "YOU THINK THIS IS GONNA STOP ME??? JUST WAIT UNTIL I-" miraculously, she actually got another point. "YOU SEE? YOU SEEEEE????? NO ONE CAN STOP ME IN THIS GAME, I CAN DO ANYTHING-" The screen started to fade from what Natalie wanted, as it was realized Luzean had forged the screen to make it seem like she just got a point.

"I-" Natalie was speechless and Luzean was snickering like crazy.

The bell rung.

Natalie wanted to say something, but couldn't utter any words. "Natalieeeeee, I'm sorry vudeeee." 

Natalie ignored his plea and refused to respond, and he just kept snickering.

~~

"Hey, Nat! Aren't you gonna come with us to the library?" James yelled out.

"Oh, oh! Yeah, one moment guys. Just give me a second to get some of this gross lunch food!" Natalie called out to them.

"Well- I uh, alright! Just don't take too long." James said.

"Do you have the link cables for the GBA?" Luzean asked James.

"Oh fuck, wait lemme check my bag. What game are we gonna play anyway?" 

...

While in line Natalie was bumped into by a girl behind her. "Woah, hello there," Natalie said without even turning around to see who it was first. "AAhhh, sorry about that." The girl said. She had a slight British accent. 

"No worries." Natalie inspected her. She wore a cyan sweater over some fitting jeans. Her hair was ginger, and she had a matching cyan hat that flipped around to the other side. 

"Say, you look a little older." Are you from Vincity University as well? I've never seen you around." 

"I'm an exchange student is all. My name is Damaris. What's yours?" Natalie couldn't see, but there was an oddly shaped bottle swaying on the side of Damaris's bag.

"My name is Natalie..."

~~End of _Passion_ ~~


	10. Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explode

_Pisa,_ _Italia. 18:02_

Fortunata sat slumped over in the passenger's seat of a cab, eyes watering up and dripping from her face, ruining her subtle mascara. Fortunata wore a black open sweater over a Violet Vine Victorian Corset Skirt, knee leggings, and some glossy black heels. She held her phone shaking, debating whether to message James or not. The sun was on the coast of the sky and shot bright, but dull light into the back of the car that cascaded off buildings and powerlines. The taxi coasted along the mostly empty road, with only the sounds of gravel and distant music coming from the monotonous buildings to be heard. Her wallet stuck out from her purse, where a wad of cash and a condom could be seen sticking out. Fortunata attempted to keep her whimpering quiet, but couldn't help the dread from leaving her mouth. The taxi driver soon made clear his notice on Fortunata and questioned her solemnly when pulling up to a red light.

The taxi driver wore a fitting Grey shirt stuffed into white pants, along with a supporting black hat atop short curly black hair. His nose looked bruised, and he seemed to have shaved not too long ago, evident by the discoloration on where his beard would be. "(Miss Lady, If you don't mind me asking, what's the problem? The name is Severino.)"

("Simonetta.") Fortunata said as if waiting for his comfort, using her middle name as an alias. Fortunata thought to herself, they both had the name of saints. The realization made her shiver. She lifted her cigarette in the front mirror in a request that she could smoke, and he approved. The cigarettes were burgundy, and rose-scented. Her voice was very shaky, but she attempted to continue. ("You're accent sounds foreign, where are you from?")

Severino grinned. ("I spent most of my life in American under a family of immigrants. My Italian isn't too hot.") He cleared his throat. "I speak English much better".

"No worries, I can speak English too". Fortunata told him. She paused. "There's no easy way to bring this up...please don't be irritated about what I'm about to say." Her English was slow and elegant.

"I can't promise that I won't be mad, Simonetta". Severino said it in such a way that sounded down. "If it's wrong, I'm going to think it's wrong. But I'll do my best to give you the advice you need." He took a peppermint from a jar and handed it to her. She unwrapped it and slid it in her mouth.

Fortunata nodded and made clear all the money in her wallet. "I made over 6,000 euro over the last month, but not without the loss of my dignity." She turned the wallet, revealing the condoms. "I..." She struggled to keep her words. "I made this money as a slut under **Veleno**.." The shame in her voice was immense, and she covered her mouth in the realization of what she was doing. "The guilt I feel is so incredibly heavy...my heart has been tied back by a burden for weeks now...I've lost my virginity to someone who doesn't deserve it, and I continue to flee away from my morals for the cash...I...ca-can't handle this..." The tears poured from her eyes.

"What are you doing this all for? There must be a reason you keep going on with this." Severino looked into the head mirror. "I can tell in your eyes that you're not a completely horrible person. You express all the empathy, guilt, and consequence a human should feel. So why have you been doing this? Why hold in this burden for so long?"

"I'm making this money so I can go to America and maintain living with him there." Fortunata whimpered. "I don't know if I regret doing this or not...this is the fastest way to possibly make money as a middle-class person. Sex Sells. But I never wanted to lose my purity in this way. I wanted my lover to make me feel these things, not random junkies who by all means shouldn't receive it."

"Simonetta..." Severino felt incredibly sorry for her and wanted to stop the car to look back at her. "I doubt you've told him but...does he know?"

"He does. I always tell. I tell him every time I do it and provide every honest detail as if it justifies the action. It leaves me off with such a sour taste because I know it isn't right. He's built himself as an honest, caring boy who will be in complete chastity until I get to him, but I can't deliver the same back. Yet he's somehow, in some way, always completely fine with it. But I do not doubt in my mind that it hurts him. I always tell myself, it's the intent, not the action...but does that apply here? Does having sex with all these men, and him being so okay with it, justify what I do..? It can't...If I was in his position I'd be furious..." Fortunata's tears started to stop. "And yet... every time he has the smallest interaction with another girl, or just talks about them...I..." Her voice softened. "I can't help but feel...so much overwhelming...jealousy." Fortunata's head fell and her hands caught it. "Why do I do this to myself..."

"Under the surface, you have good intentions behind all this. You're going through all this trauma to get something you're going to be truly happy with...you can't control your emotions, Simonetta. You're justified in feeling what you feel, and I'm glad you recognized the wrong in this. You shouldn't make your own rules about what's morally right here, even if you're boyfriend says otherwise to please you. You must take initiative and admit your mistakes, don't believe a lie and call it the truth. I noticed you said you do all these services under **Veleno** , right? I know it may seem like a purely sexual company associated with drugs on the surface, but it is much more. Have you heard of **[Esc] REALITY**?"

" _l'organizzazione dei miracoli"_ She said to him.

" _Corretto._ **[Esc] REALITY** is looking down at Veleno as a potential third-party candidate from what I understand and the deal is looking strong. Veleno is the most powerful organization in Italy right now, and if the deal is made with **[Esc] REALITY** , your opportunities for wealth don't have to just be from prostitution." He stopped the car, stopping at Fortunata's destination. "Tell me, what's your greatest talents?"

"I play the Violin...I design clothing...I can sing a bit." Fortunata didn't sound too proud.

"That's more than enough," Severino told her, happily. "I'm sure you'll be essential, just wait and see." It made Fortunata smile. "How much do I owe you?" She asked.

"Just 24.00 €," He said, as she took the money from her purse and handed it to him. She gave 100.00€. "Simonetta, this is-"

"I know."

Fortunata stepped out of the car and spoke to him through the window. "How do you know about all this organization stuff?" Fortunata asked him, holding her purse with her two hands.

"I did a little business when I lived in America, that's all. I've been keeping tabs on them now and then, especially right now with their organization growing so rapidly around the world." He rested an arm on the window sill. "Would you like a few more peppermints before you go?"

"No thank you...Oh yeah, sure." She told him. He gave her the entire jar.

"ALL THIS?" She said in disbelief. 

"Hell yeah, I saw you sucking down on that first one. I wonder where you learned that technique." Severino said jokingly. Fortunata's calm look was overcast by an eye twitch and a sovereign smile. "Hey, I'm sorry. Just change those clothes or I may become your next customer who knows?"

"BYE, SEVERINO." She jokingly yelled at him, leaning into the window to hug him. "Maybe I'll see you again for taxi therapy another time."

"Let's hope fate binds us again. Ciao, Simonetta." Hearing him say that fake name hurt her a bit.

"Arriverderci, Severino." Fortunata smiles and sounded a little down. 

She crossed the street and walked her the stoop, looking back to see the taxi car turn into another street. The sky was much darker, the yellow hues of the sun being replaced by solemn purples and blues. Fortunata scurried for the keys in her purse and began to feel an natural warmth and happiness. A sweet hue had risen to her nostrils and her eyes closed shut as she giggled lightly to herself. "(Why do I feel so...happy...?)"

She hadn't realized, but a transparent wrapping of roses had formed along her body, including a crown on her head, looking like that of a martyr. Her wanderer had appeared behind her, making a light voice. "( _What do you want most_ ") It asked. Fortunata, her eyes still closed, held her hands together. ("I want to speak...to James..."). She hadn't considered the fact an unknown voice had just spoken to her. The thorns pierced her, and blood began to pour from her head.

Soon after, Fortunata's phone began to ring.

~~

Natalie grew closer to the top of the lunch line, waiting to be accepted into the lunchroom. Students were shouting and calling out each other's names from the subsequent sides of the lines, trying to convince each other to come to their end respective ends. The concealer finally called 5 people from Natalie's row to walk into the lunchroom. The tiled floor was slippery and the milk didn't smell right. They were serving 'special' corndogs on Natalie's side (which she was deeply curious about) and nachos on the other. 

"I'm studying psychology," Damaris told Natalie to break the silence. 

"What field?" Natalie asked, not showing much interest.

"Cognitive" Damaris paused, taking a step as they got closer in line. "Ever heard of the Zeigarnik effect?" Natalie shook her head 'no'. That moment, the air pressure around Natalie seemed to crush around her. The world and its people grew black, as Natalie looked around in the dormant space, only seeing a few objects, and a path that seemed laid out for her. Damaris was now looking at a light-bulb she wouldn't take her eyes off of. It seemed to have already sparked.

Damaris began to explain, still keeping her cool. "The Zeigarnik effect is a mental phenomenon where you prioritize unfinished tasks more than present tasks. Often times, you hold priority in those ones who haven't finished, often forgetting what's at hand. I've seen people who hold mental struggle as a mental illness, feeling there's a burden or negative judgment placed on them if they don't tick those old text boxes. I can imagine the trauma of being in that position. I imagine you'd feel trapped, hopeless, in a world devoid of what's happening now, as you can't get your mind from the past. Pretty scary :) What do you think?"

Damaris's voice seemed to echo through Natalie's ears. Her eyes shook at the sight of her. Natalie gave no attention to what was around her but instead couldn't stop worrying about what she may have forgotten. 

"It could be anything, really. Maybe you lost the last piece to your huge puzzle, maybe you lost a macaroni pencil to your colored pencil set, maybe you left a smudge on a mirror you were cleaning, maybe you forgot to change your tampon, I don't know lol." 

Behind Damaris were a ton of memories, tasks that Natalie hadn't finished in the past, all ramming towards her at once. All those memories, however, were far out of reach as Natalie could only move in the path made for her. All the ground had been replaced with a pit with seemingly no end. Natalie is struggling to breathe, and couldn't focus on whatever Damaris was saying. She attempted to take the tray of food from the nonexistent lunch lady but dropped it the moment the weight was put on her hands. She couldn't think straight. She shook her head, picked up a bagged apple, and tried to walk towards the checkout lady to put in her lunch pin, which she knew was 30987. She typed in every individual number, but the '7' wouldn't work, meaning she couldn't hear the satisfying completion sound. "What the Hell is going on?" Natalie panicked as if just noticing the world around her.

Damaris seemed unaware of what was happening to Natalie, not noticing the trauma she was going through, and seemingly lifted upon her. The bulb Damaris was holding was beginning to grow brighter, illuminating as Natalie's consciousness shortened. Natalie stared at Damaris's eyes because she couldn't speak under all her gasping. "Those with the allergy can't blink, right? She's not blinking at all! But her eye isn't shaped like a peppermint...is...is she a whimsical user or not????" Natalie summoned Arachne, speaking to her through her head. "Arachne, please reveal yourself to her, stand in front of her, get her attention, anything!" Arachne nodded and walked towards Damaris, silently and out of sight, then suddenly appearing in front of her. Damaris held no reaction. Arachne looked up to see Natalie's utter confusion, and pointed towards an empty lunch table in the distance. Natalie paved the path with spiderwebs running towards the lunch table and swinging onto the seat as if she's a baby longing for its mother. "Think carefully, Natalie" Arachne reassured her, holding Natalie who was covering her face in distress, about to cry. 

Natalie smiled to herself and shook her head again, trying to think straight. Damaris had already appeared in front of her, sitting on the opposite side of the lunch table. "All you're eating is an apple?" She asked.

"Let's have a staring contest," Natalie said abruptly. 

"OK, I'm quite good at these," Damaris responded confidently. 

Natalie pointed down.

Damaris left the light bulb on the table, which was now a bit dimmer. "It's just a lightbulb."

"I want it," Natalie told her. "Whoever wins gets to keep it."

"It's just a-"

"I know"

"Okay"

The Cafeteria was full of freshmen.

Natalie started to think to herself as the game started. "I can't say for sure if she's putting me under this attack. The parallels are obvious, the lack of blinking, the Zeigarnik bullshit, and what followed." Damaris stared at Natalie with no intent in her eyes but to win. "But I don't understand, she seems to be completely oblivious to what's happening, and there's no peppermint swirl in her eyes...I don't get it. Can allergies also be passive? Doesn't that defeat the purpose??? She wouldn't be able to see or control her own ability." Damaris's left eye twitched. "Are her...eyes burning? That's impossible for people with...Oh my God, maybe I am going crazy."

The pressure returned, and the bulb grew brighter. Minutes passed, and a small crowd had been developing around Natalie and Damaris.

Luzean opened the cafeteria door, seeing Natalie in the middle of her staring contest. "Natalie! What the hell? Natalie turned to the sound of his voice. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't recognize it. As her memory was lost, the bulb just kept illuminating, to the point where Natalie squinted her eyes. Damaris took note of that. "Natalie, your eyes are getting tired, no?" To everyone else, that bulb had no light whatsoever. 

"I'm just fine," Natalie told her, but she sounded like she was in pain.

Luzean ran off in distress as if to get James. He came back soon after with two pieces of paper. One with 'Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends', the other with 'Orange-Haired UK girl'. It looks like he opened a shitty betting booth. "Place your predictions here folks, I take money, Pokemon cards, Tamagotchi, candy, and silly bands. Get double what you put in. All or nothing folks." All the kids started putting their subsequent items on the papers they thought would win. It seemed to be in Damaris's favor. One kid bet a Gymnasium Scooter. Luzean rested his bag under the table and open.

Natalie's world was beginning to get chaotic. There was the wind blowing against her from all directions, flashing lights coming from the sky, and chemicals flying across the air. It all prompted her to close her eyes, but she fought against it. She began to forget who the person in front of her was, she forgot about the real world itself, she forgot about her friends, family, her own name and appearance. Soon enough, she forgot how to breathe.

With the little brain activity she had left, she tried her hardest to focus on the task at hand, even though she forgot her motive, initiative, and goal.

The distress signals around Natalie caused one of her spiders to run from her pocket. It was her favorite one, a red-back. Though, the read seemed to just be painted on with marker. Upon further inspection, the spider seemed to only support 6 legs..??? The spider crawled around all the students, dodging all the various shoes nearly stomping it. It ran down the hallway and toward the library where James was. It crawled on his GBA screen while he wasn't looking. James had been staring at the librarian. "Why do all librarians have short hair?" He then felt a nibble at his finger, turning to see Natalie's spider. He nearly threw his Game Boy Advance before thinking realistically and realizing it must be Natalie's. It had that stupid paint on it.

~~

The chaos around Natalie grew to astronomic severity. Newly comprehended trees, houses, and buildings collapsing, spreading debris into the air and flying into Natalie's eyes. The Madness would only get worse when a sudden tornado in the distance starting ramming towards their direction. Natalie focused and focused, having no sense of danger in her head, only the goal in mind. Her sense of smell was gone, her sense of hearing, touch, taste...it was all gone. All Natalie was in this void was something that 'existed'. A being with no thoughts, feelings, or initiative. Just an infinitely determined thought that persisted to live. Despite everything, that bulb stood in place and illuminated as bright as the sun, which was now blinding Natalie. The tornado was just meters away, and Damaris seemed to have no loss in sight. 

In real life, Natalie's eyes were incredibly squinted, and it seemed inevitable who was the victor. All bets were shifted on Damaris. The kids were yelling and rooting for Damaris, peering intently at all the items in place. Luzean looked nervous, flicking his eyes at everyone at the table. The entire cafeteria had come to watch.

James had ran to the cafeteria door, hearing the intense cheering. He peered through the window to see all the kids ganging around Luzean and Natalie. She looked braindead. James held Natalie's spider on his shoulder as he tried to open the cafeteria door. However, the spider started shaking as if it was scared to approach. "Shake if you want me to enter normally". The spider stopped shaking. "Okay, these fuckers understand English, nice." James looked around for any mirrors, running around the corners, and into storage rooms. He ran into a bathroom, but it wasn't a mirror at all, just a smudgy piece on dull iron. 

James attempted to form glass on his own but to no success. It was far too small and amount to crawl through, he didn't have enough whimsicality. He looked through the cafeteria door window again, seeing a ton of dropped betting candy on the ground. He opened the door slightly and began examining all the candy on the ground, looking for anything with the **[Esc] REALITY** labeling, but to no success. He looked up and sees a white truck with no labeling at all on it. "The exact description of an undercover **[Esc] REALITY** deliverer as said on the website," James thought. "But shit...there's an equal chance it's just an ordinary van." He started to run down the hallway to the nearest exit. "Worth a fucking god awful shot. I need more whimsicality".

James ran down the hallway, passing by various 'scholar student' boards and offices. The exit door was still far down the hall. "Shit, I won't be able to make it down the hallway before the truck passes by..." He looked forward and behind him for any people, made some glass appear from his hands, and put them in the sunlight, shooting a colorful beam of light into the wall, allowing him to pass through. He ran across the mushy grass onto the pavement, staring at the tall flagpole in front of the school. He jumped into the street and onto the handle door of the truck, catching a footing. The truck was moving relatively fast, coming from a red light. The wind threw itself against James, causing his hair to behind him, exposing his complete forehead. 

He threw open the door to find an obese middle-aged guy with an orange beard, long hair drawn and tied in the back, making a massive tail, glasses, and a plaid open shirt driving behind the wheel. He had headphones on blasting shitty anime music. The inside of the truck smelled like meatball subs and saliva. There were used napkins plaguing the ground and unknown stains on the car front and seats. The airbags were also ripped out...

James yelled out to him. " **DO YOU WORK FOR [ESC] REALITY???!!!!?!?** " The man flung his head in James's direction. Startled, he started swinging the car, crashing into a nearby tree. James looked in the back, only to find two small, unharmed male children who seemed to be kidnapped pretty recently. They had their hands cuffed, and mouths duct-taped. "What the fuck. Hey, guys." James said, grabbing a key by the car freshener and freeing one of the children.   
"Here, use this key to get your brother, or uh, friend free too." He tossed the key. The children looked at James like a savior. James opened the sunroof window, as he heard the sound of a helicopter. 

He squinted his eyes, but couldn't quite make it out. It could be the vandalized Helicopter Frasier was talking about. James sat on the roof and tried to brainstorm ideas. He has nothing and wasn't willing to take another chance at some random vehicle. James stuck his head into the van. "KIDS, QUICK! WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S HELPFUL AND GLASS RELATED?"

The children looked at one another and shrugged. "Mirrors?" "Car mirrors." They said overlapping each other. James wasn't impressed.

"Something else????"

"Uhhh, glasses?"

Cars were starting to slow down to view the scene.

"OH SHIT, YOU'RE RIGHT!" James quickly tried to make a pair of glasses, but couldn't make anything that worked. Shit, I don't know my prescription..." He thought a bit more. "OH YEAH, A MAGNIFYING GLASS, DUH." He stood up and took a nearby branch from a tree, sticking it to a circular piece of glass he made. It worked. He put it up to his eye and peered at the helicopter. There were tons of graffiti on it. It must be Frasier's. James took out his gun and shot at the helicopter. No success. 

James kept thinking, using his brain to the best of his ability. He remembered the Light Prism on the board of physics class. "Wait, glass reflects light in several directions... what if..." James made a triangular prism on the tip of his gun for bullets to pass through. He pointed his gun at the helicopter and started shooting. Instead of shooting single bullets at a time, the gunshot 4 bullets at once, paralleling the colors of the rainbow. Although it did a bit more damage, it still wasn't enough. As a last resort, James set light and heat from the sun into the prism. The gun began to absorb the light, and charge up, reflecting a lightning-fast colorful beam from the prism, and busting a hole in the helicopter. 

The impact sent the helicopter losing control and falling towards the ground. From the new hole flew out tons and tons of sparkling, yellow dandelions. It must have been whimsical pollen. it spread across the entire city, and Frasier could be seen jumping from the side of the helicopter, equipped with a parachute. As he floated down, and looked around for the attacker, and found his eyes leading to James. He looked pissed.

James smiled back when a piece of debris from the helicopter flew towards James and struck him in the teeth. Same spot as both times before. " ** _FUCK!_** "

James fell off the roof of the truck. He rolled around in pain but found whimsical dandelions all around him. He blew a few, restoring and boosting his allergy substantially. Natalie's spider settled in James' mouth to fix his teeth, as James himself ran back to the cafeteria. 

Natalie was still trapped in her world, moments away from the Tornado. With her last bit of breath and consciousness, she began to yell and scream at the top of her lungs, hoping for something, anything to hear her. But in the real world, she laid silent. James quickly approached the cafeteria, creating a glass mirror on the ground, leading to an upside-down mirror world. He jumped into the mirror, plummeting down towards the ceiling. While falling, he creates a second mirror on the ceiling he's falling towards. Instead of breaking his legs, he falls through the second mirror, returning to the regular world, and skyrocketing towards the lunch table where Natalie is. The kids are yelling and yelling, as Natalie is about to blink, and Damaris, who's completely fine. The clock on the wall ticks down. Lunch is about to end. James then falls directly onto the light bulb, shattering it into pieces and waking up Natalie from her trance. 

The bell rings

Her yelling from the dream is interrupted as it transfers into a cough into Damaris's eye, making Damaris blink. In the process, James breaks his spine, and subsequently, the table as Luzean takes all the lost money and items from the students, tossing it in his bag, and running away as all the whole cafeteria chases him down. No one even noticed James fell except for Natalie, who just woke up. "Oh, hey James." Damaris had been lost in the crowd.

"Natalie, what happened????" James struggled to speak.

"I uh...hmm." She thought really hard. "I suddenly don't remember." James just laid on the table in complete disbelief as the spiders healed him. "Well, I guess we'll just say the combined force of the kids broke the table. Somehow no one noticed me falling."

The kids in the cafeteria were fighting with each other relentlessly, and the teachers and concealers tried their hardest to break it all up. They lost sight of Luzean, despite the huge bag he was now carrying around.

"James, you smell like rain. Anyway, I have a date with Brett soon. You know he's a janitor here?"

The two get up and look for Luzean. "No shit? I never saw him around. Must be a new job." James scratched his head.

"I just had a weird urge to call Fortunata"

~~End of _Pressure_ ~~


	11. Pendulum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Library

18:23

Natalie and Brett settled in Olive Garden, dwelling in the Italian scenery, surrounded by the wooden decor, a few, but strong illuminating chandeliers, along with contrasting bricks walls cascading with the white walls, plastered steadily with portraits of historical Italian figures, and shelves full of cleaned glasses. They seemed to be for viewing purposes only, though despite that, many of the glasses, whether by accident or blatant vandalism, had smudges and fingerprints accessible by certain angles in the light. The was quiet, with Natalie only being attended by the soft conversations in the background, along with the constant snickering of Brett, who was poking fun at the various couples trying to be all lovey-dovey with one another. The scent was a combination of rose-scented candles, along with the distant and faint hint of Italian bread, and the fumes of the plant life sitting atop a pillar beside each table. The ceiling sang the song, "Yeah!" by Usher, before fading away to "Baby Come Back" by Player. Neither were Italian songs, but top American hits at some point.

"Follow this way" The waitress led Brett and Natalie to their seats. She was noticeably short and was quite old. Her silver hair had been withering and her skin was sagging. She smelled like an awkward mix of coconut oil and Secret deodorant. The odor made Brett's nose crease as if suffering from the fuzziness of drinking ginger ale.

"Pretty sweet decor, huh?" Brett Noted.

"Yeah, looks like shit." Natalie Replied.

Natalie was wearing an extremely worn long sleeved' Dora the Explorer shirt meant for a eight year old. For pants she had on some loose jeans with one long stripe going the the middle of the sides of her legs. As fore shoes she had matching light-up sketchers. 

While Natalie looked down at the woman, she caught a glance at Brett's shoes. He wasn't walking, sliding, as if on wheels. "No fucking way," Natalie said, stoked and surprised. "You have heelies? Every school in Baystate banned it and that pisses me the hell off" She grunted, feeling jealous and staring intently at his shoes.

"Here, maybe' that'll cheer you up" Brett tossed a few items onto the table they were seated at. On the table were Krabby Patty gummies and poppers. "NO FUCKING WAY! Also, be careful with those poppers you dookie-brain." Natalie slumped over the table, examining the various Krabby Patty gummies, and tearing open the wrappers, forgetting the waitress was still staring at them. "Oh, shit" Natalie mumbled her breath. "I'm sorry, do you need anything, Ms..." Natalie stared at the waitresses' name tag. It only read, 'Miss'. "Ms. Miss????"

"Yes, that's my name" Her accent sounded lightly Australian. "You're supposed to start with a drink unless you need more time?"

"Why the fuck is your name Miss?" Natalie looked incredibly astonished. Miss didn't look incredibly happy about the note.

"Lol, pwnd." Brett coughed and scratched the peach fuzz on his chin. "I would like the Uhm, Spiked Lemonade?"

Ms. Miss spoke up. "And Báthory?"

Natalie stared at her, understanding the insult. "A vessel of Gore, please."

Miss grudged at her, taking the order, and walking off.

Natalie looked freaked out. "You don't think she's really gonna bring back blood, is she?"

"That'd fulfill another superstition of yours, wouldn't it? Maybe that blood will extend your youth." Brett snorted and started eating one the gummies, staring off at other customers.

Miss came back with the drinks, placing them on the table and walking off.

The Blood Chalice was nothing more than red wine.

Natalie's lip fell open. "How the fuck did she get those drinks so fast? She was only gone for like 5 seconds???"

"I don't know. Your friend, James blew down Frasier's fucking helicopter earlier, and it was full of W.P. It's more than likely that a few people developed abilities from it. I'd say she's one of them" He didn't look serious, but it was a very rational possibility. Natalie scanned Brett's appearance as his mind was lost inspecting the small gummies. He was wearing an open brown leather jacket over a long royal blue shirt. For bottoms, he wore shaggy black wide-legged jeans contrasting his white heelies. His knees were plastered with faded shades of pink, cyan, and yellow. The colors seemed recent and were washed out as if a horrible attempt to clean them had arisen.

Natalie spoke up about it. "What's up with your pants? They're covered in some weird, gritty, rainbow shit-stains" Her hand hovered over her mouth naturally, as if trying to cover up her smile despite the clarity of her giggle and glowing in her eyes didn't make her amusement obvious.

Brett's eyes haven't let their fascination go from the gummies. "Well, I'll have you know I love rubbing unicorn turds across my clothing... You know, chalk." Brett took apart the gummy burger and examined each condiment in awe. "I was at my aunteenies house earlier and drew some doodles on the ground with my nephews and niece" He tossed up a pickle from the now mutilated gummy. It flew and entirely missed his mouth. "I and the kids drew Sonic, Mario, and a failed attempt at Pikachu. It ended up looking failed Russian mouse radiation experiment brought to life through Italian style exorcism" He sounded like he was reading off something.

Natalie stared at him, yearning to hear more. "You never tell me about your family, you know that? I've known you for years and the most I've got to learn was vague pieces from your childhood. I distinctly remember you telling me about playing Gallaga with your siblings or being whooped by your mom for faking being sick to skip school with your older sister's adopted son" Natalie took a straw, removed the wrapping paper, and trusted the straw along with the fabric of her shirt.

"I don't understand how you remember that so finely, Natalie. But I don't know. Most times I'm ashamed to speak about my family. In the past, I didn't treat them the greatest" The moment he said that Brett leaned below the table to grab the pickle, but it seemed like he was trying to hide his expression. Natalie was not buying it.

Before Brett could pick it up, Natalie summoned a spider to run over and steal the pickle. It crawled up onto her hand, placing the retrieved pickle onto her soft, inflamed-looking palm beside the straw. "Brett, do you still treat your family bad?" She summoned a few more spiders to snack on the pickle. The critters devoured it maliciously.

Brett stared at the spiders without blinking. He could she cornered her. "Perhaps" He placed a bun in his mouth.

"I hate to pile on the pressure, but why have you never told me about your allergy before yesterday?" She had a grudge on her face. "I only figured out because we happen to be in the same faction of the same organization, you fucking skank" Natalie took a bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce from the side of the table and a placed straw on it. The static now presents on the straw allowed her to spin the straw without touching it.

The straw spun around and around, slowing down, and pointing towards Brett. "You told me you worked for I.C.P., and that you'd never keep secrets from me" Hit-Clips crawled to the surface of Natalie's bag to make sure Brett wasn't fucking up.

"Stop shaking up drama for the sake of it, Buttercup. If I wanted drama, I would drive to the closest rehabilitation center's pedophile division and hold up the sign 'human interaction' in front of all the degenerate anime fanatics. Though I'm sure even a Hell sentence's worth of time will reduce the number of blow-up dolls and groom bait catfish chat rooms. If I could I would shove a traffic cone over every one of their skulls and chain them together under a flaming chandelier while soaking them in nail polish and rubbing alcohol. I'll put these fuckers on the cover of a Shakespeare tragedy" Natalie's shock couldn't form words. Brett continued. Anyways, I was and still am a part of I.C.P. It's just shortly after we separated, I joined the organization for personal reasons. If we were still together, I wouldn't hide that from you."

"Sure, but you no effort to call this darling and inform her. We were separated, not broken up."

"Those sound like the same thing"

"Bitchnog"

"What"

"Bitchnog"

"Ok"

"I like to keep surprises"

"Well you don't present them soon enough"

"You wanna see what's in the fridge on top of my ca-"

Miss came back and took out a small flipbook. "Have you two figured out what you want to eat?" Her polite voice sounded forced.

"(Shit, Brett, we haven't even opened our menus)" Natalie murmured to him.

"Uh, everything," Brett told her. His regretful voice soon turned into certainty. "Yeah, everything. Just like one of everything." The eyes in the diner seemed to slowly creep into Brett's line of sight, sensing vision he could not even see himself, revealed from the crippling silence coming in every direction apart from the music mumbling through the ceiling. The silence started at a small radius before farther tables caught on to the silence and caught on to the trend, trying to view the point of attention.

Natalie's attention flicked position into Brett's eyes. "Okay, there's no way you asked for that for no reason."

"I owe it to show you what my allergy is." Brett's average volume voice sounded extravagantly loud in the silent room, starting all those dwindling eyes to be accompanied by lowered, confused-looking eyebrows.

"And that involves ordering a ridiculous amount of food???"

"Well- It's just that I can be more visual by-" Brett realized this alibi would lead him nowhere.

Ms. Miss broke from her hypnotic state. "You're being serious? Is this just another weird joke?"

Brett darted his eyes from the gummies on the table to Natalie simultaneously as he bit his lip. "Wanna just go to Burger King" Brett reluctantly asked Natalie as a last resort.

Natalie stomped on Brett's foot.

~~

18:37

"You have about an hour and a half to make up this completely fucked night, Brett" Natalie stubbornly reported. She was lying down in the passenger seat; the seat being pulled back. She was fiddling with Broken Game Boy"

"Ah, condescending time limits you gotta love them"

There was a frequent banging in the refrigerator above them, Brett trying to openly ignore it.

"You want me to ask what's in the refrigerator, don't you?" Natalie asked him, laying the Game Boy down.

"Don't worry about itttttttt" He sounded like a New Yorker.

~~

18:40

Brett Pulls up to a Burger King after coming off the Highway, grazing a silver car beside his parking space. Not only that but his parking space was a disabled reserved one. Brett walks to the other side of the car to lift Natalie into his arms in a bridal position, her favorite.

"Brett, you're just asking to be arrested. Why do you do this you stupid bastard" Her voice was stifled as she stuffed her face in Brett's chest.

"Check it out" Brett pointed up at the top of the Burger King roof. It was a gigantic inflatable SpongeBob. "The SpongeBob movie released not too long, ago right? These promotional balloons have been up for a while. They'll be gone forever very soon you know."

"!!!!!" Natalie's jaw dropped open as she lifted from Brett's chest. "You're gonna try and buy it for me???" She gripped onto his jacket.

"Perhaps"

"Oh, fucking god."

He let her down, took out his wallet, and shifted through all the condoms and expired cards, shuffling out a crumbled 20-dollar bill. "Go on inside and get what you want. Bring me back Onion Rings with Zesty sauce, I'll share whatever drink you get."

"Wait what?" She took the 20-dollar bill and unraveled it. "Why are you staying out here? You tryna sell drugs or some shit you guggot?"

"No, no, no. I may be a crackhead but it's just a fractured skull. I'm just gonna be taking a few photos of the sky. Doesn't it look goddamn awesome tonight?" Brett pointed up. Natalie peered towards and past his finger. The clouds were dim and blended with the sky. It was a complete overcast. Towards the west was the barely visible moon, coming in and out of vision as the speedy clouds flew. It was cold and breezy outside...Distantly could be heard ricocheting bags and the morning yawns of starting car engines. The sky was so paralyzing that she hardly noticed it had been snowing, albeit quite softly, only being able to quietly paint the ground.

"It is pretty nice..." Natalie inched herself towards Brett and had a soft smile. Her hair kept blowing across her eyes. She took a band from her left pocket of the heavy coat she was wearing, preparing to put her hair in a quick bun.

"Imma make the night better, okay-?" Brett turned to her. She was already leaning against the Burger King door. "Damn Bitch you're fast"

"Nuu, I was listening. But okayyy."

Brett watched her walk in and shuffle towards the cashier, clearly looking super cold despite her more than reasonable attire. He reached into his pocket and chewed some [Esc] REALITY branded gum. "I'll feed you more soon you damn bastard, just come out for a moment?" Brett's shadow got up from the ground below. "Can you lift me so I can get a boost towards the roof?" The shadow flipped him off and squatted, signaling that he would. Brett stood on its hands as he was lifted, as if weightless. He then pulled his arms over the roof and lunged himself over, giving the shadow a thumbs up. It gave no response back and materialized back on the ground below Brett as normal. "Okie-Dokie-McSmokey then lemme just-- There we go." He detached the strings and nails that were pinning the inflatable into place, lunging the character over his shoulders and onto his back. It was not cooperating with the wind fondly, however. Brett then took out his phone, revealing a schedule.

**18:25 - We get to Olive Garden and eat shit, make it cool**

**CHANGE OF PLANS, FUCK**

**18:45 - Arrive at Burger King. Should Be a quick in and out**

**18:50 - We leave from Burger King, check out the food and have the bite over by** **Kenefick** **Park**

**19:30 - Kiss or something, its not a full moon tonight but i guess a waxing gibus is romantic enough**

**20:00 - If you're lucky, you guys score at the house. If not, drive her home, buddy**

**Post Date - idk try to make money, or if you're feeling nice, visit Cassy**

**...**

Brett's wanderer came and touched his shoulder, scaring him. "JESUS SIGÜS WHAT?" Sigüs was barely visible.

"You know Natalie believes it's a goddamn sin to be even the slightest bit late. Don't be dragging the time on your little honeymoon, dipshit." Sigüs reported to Brett with all the spite imaginable.

Brett shrugged him off. "You're purpose is to help me. Is that all you wanted to say?"

The figure of Sigüs turned towards a lone truck resting in the corner of the parking lot.

"I know I don't come out often, which is entirely your fault, but I should tell you this. One, holy shit you fucking suck. Two, These inflatables have been stolen numerously in recent times from people like you, and the areas that still seize on have been highly surveillance. That's all." It disappeared.

"Oh God, Fucking Dammit" Brett said as if in anticipation for something. "I should be expecting-"

And there comes the police sirens.

"Yeah, this bastard waited to tell me"

"Tighten your bond" Sigüs whispered, punching the shit out of Brett's spine. "And your muscles, sheesh"

~~

Jethro walked into Brightwood Library. The door he opened shifted a grazing pattern across the brown carpet, in which the carpet in question smelled new and furnished, which enlightened the previously muggy and humid atmosphere of the library. He walked up to the Library lady who was sitting behind a desk and staring at a computer. Not typing, not using the mouse. Just staring.

"Hey, ma. Why don't you use the computer's functions itself and quit the material from collecting dust and give it a makeover?" Jethro snicked at her, sporting a fake cough. "Damn, I can see your fingerprints dusting off the keys"

"Haha, what do you need, Jethro?" The Librarian was tall, average in weight, and middle-aged. Her glasses were fake, the panes being plastic, and the handles had little kitty designs on the side. Her name tag read, "Thy Duong" but the little stand on her desk read, "Give me any nickname you wish." Beside the stand was a cup, filled with pennies and pieces of paper that had little names written on them. Her brunette hair swayed to the right, and fall over her shoulders. Her outfit wasn't anything special. She had a red button-up plaid shirt tucked into some especially fitting black jeans. You could hardly see her shoes, but you could tell she had no socks on.

"Well, I'm gonna need a computer to work on. Number 17 besides the window, if it's not reserved." Jethro pointed towards the back despite her not looking.

"Nope, that one open." She kept looking up at her computer and down at a piece of paper, writing down the numbers, _4531_. "Here you go, Gentleman. You've been staying out of trouble right? Those streets out their will take one of your senses without warning, you know. That's what I hear from the news channel, at least."

"Pfft, you don't have to worry about anything. You're looking at One hundred forty-four pounds of pure skin and bones. These knuckles can output some critical damage, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Take those gamer terms to your seat."

"Yes ma'am." He tossed a penny into her nearly overflowing penny cup, and sat down beside his assigned computer. He hung his backpack on his chair and booted up the computer. On the table behind him, a group of kids were building barely recognizable crafts and structures and using ambiguous beings to fight against each other. The creations could barely be compared to any living being. On the same table and beside the lego-kids were two quiet children battling in Pokemon on their GameBoy SP's via link cable.

While Jethro waited for his program to open. He took a look a the kids behind him, examining their activities and their excitement. "I hate to jump in, but it's nearly seven o'clock. Don't you guys have to go back home, do homework or something?

Most of the kids acknowledged what he was saying but continued with their game. The kid closest to Jethro spoke himself. He looked to be nine years old. "I don't know what you're talking about, but why would we need to worry about that? It's a library. have fun, that's what they're for"

"Libraries are for work"

The kid simply frowned and shrugged, clearly not agreeing.

Jethro looked down, his eyebrows dipping with it. He noticed the various bandaids on the kid's leg and all the bruises along his elbow and the back of his arm. The other kids had similar injuries, likely from just having fun and living life. Jethro had been lost in his head thinking about it, not even realizing the program he opened finally started. It was titled Mingler.

He swung back towards the computer's direction and opened a group chat titled: _Chill Vibes, No Bribes_. He hovered his mouse over the video call icon, hesitated, put on his headphones, and clicked it.

The ringer lingered for a good 10 seconds before the members began flooding in, producing a loud combination of shouting, complaining, and redundant phrases. "What the fuck do you want What the fuck do you want" "I will actually snap your neck give us a warning" Everyone's face was shown in a grid formation, with a chat skewed off to the right side of the screen. _Jethro_ had a puckered face as he heard everyone ranting. _Cookie_ was muted and looked like she was speaking to someone. _Damaris_ had her palm resting on her cheek. It seemed like she was the only one prepared for this meeting. _Ramon_ 's camera seemed to be under a table on his lap, as he looked down every few seconds while eating something. _TJ_ was far away from the camera, in bed and in the corner of the bedroom, shrouded in nearly complete darkness other than the light emitting from his computer. He was wrapped in a huge blanket. Will looked half-asleep, with some kind of sauce stained around his lips. Only the top of _Quilexia_ 's forehead could be seen. It seems like she's sitting in the bathroom, doing her hair. _Valentin_ was extremely close to the camera and was the producer of verbal harassment. Finally, Charity wasn't even looking at her camera. She was wandering around her kitchen, shifting through the cabinets.

"Shut the- Please shut the fuck up, everyone." It took a while for the loudness to quiet down but the voices eventually slowed down to a crawl of inaudible mumbles. 

"It seems Frasier has gathered new gang after we wiped out his former members. Damaris, Tj and I have already attempted to at least interrogate thew newbies since as you guys know, murder isn't necessarily our thing. Unfortunately, that action seems to be less of a problem for them. Their allergies are very diverse and convenient to scenarios, so we either give up on attacking Frasier's group, or we attempt to throw challenge at another. Either way, we need to make our best move to be promoted as Mercenaries under the boss, and kidnapping slash murder are the highest scoring ways. Do that, and we'll finally have the power and an opportunity to group up in some country and meet each other, with the aid of Vizzed."

"We could attack another group, but we have nearly no information on what the others do, or what they're capable of. Not to mention Frasier's group has given us loss in the past, we couldn't just let them go" Damaris sounded desperate. "Just the other day, they killed Maurice, Jethro's father."

Valentin spoke up. "Well shit, I'll do probably almost anything it takes to make it happen, as long as it doesn't cost a burning traffic cone to be shoved up my ass. We've spent too much time apart as friends, you guys. But we need to make sure we get this done diligently. Are they all in one area?"

"As far as I know, yes. There seem to be only five of them, but there are still only three of us in Springfield. With everything we don't know, it's not going to be smart to strike again on our own. We may need to pay some petty criminals in helping us take them down. I know a lot of the Juggalos in I.C.P will be willing to aid us."

"Did you guys fight them unharmed?" Will asked.

Jethro pulled the skin under his left eye and popped out his glass eyeball, causing everyone in the group to be silent.

"They're no joke. It may even be in our best choice to kill them or harm them greatly. I'm not sure if containing and dragging them to my place will be a viable option. Frasier threw a knife into my eye and planted a bomb into my neck before that. Luckily TJ used his ability to drag me out of there, but the damage is done. Damaris attempted to steal the consciousness from one of their members, Natalie. But unfortunately, the light bulb was broken as it was nearly full. I consider this a huge loss as that was our gateway to knowing their plans, whereabouts, and identities. Luckily, however, Damaris came out unharmed."

Quilexia looked the most concerned. "I don't understand. Why do we have to rely on this organization to get what we want? If we play fair, we don't have to risk getting hurt, we don't have to risk being killed. If we just fucking play by society's rules, we can work towards being with each other, even if it'll take time." Her voice had no hope.

"I understand that Quil, but we've already dug ourselves too deep. We have a reputation and standards for participating in this organization the way we do. We've seen what the boss has done to traitors before. I don't want to wait and find out if abusing his power and running away with it garners the same results. We need to clear our debt and get what we need before we can get out of this organization safely." Jethro demanded every word.

A dread suddenly lingered across the call.

"What are their allergies?" Cookie asked worriedly. 

"How experienced are the new members?" Ramon questioned soon after.

"I'll answer all your questions, but we strike tomorrow," Jethro spoke confidently. "I won't let them be the roadblock to our goal."

~~End of _Pendulum_ ~~


	12. Portable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reputation

(Still) 18:40

James and Luzean were turning down Newbury St, looking down at a set of directions on a horribly torn out piece of notebook paper, which had a fingerprint-indented grease stain on the top right. The paper itself had a phone number at the top right and crudely written directions that have been erased and revised several times. It was getting dark outside, but the light from the sun was still barely visible, which illuminated a small section of the sky to be golden in color, creating small highlights on the boy's skin. The snow was hardly present, but the streets weren't so empty. Rush hour was at its highest points, and cars rampaged through the streets, producing the sounds of screeching motorcycles colliding against the Spanish music, the latter of which had it's bass overwhelm any vocals or melody, leaving them to a bare mumble. Kids were outside shooting basketball's into outdoor basketball hoops, with one kid hanging by a beam on the back while balancing on his toes atop the water supply. They passed by piles of cans, boarded-up houses, and the relieving music oozing from foreign small businesses and ravish corner stores, those of which had their business owner sitting on stacks of crates outside in the occasion of their smoke break. 

"So" Luzean began. "Have you checked to see if he called or at least messaged you back yet?" Luzean buried his hands in his pockets and twiddled his fingers around each other through the fabric. His attire consisted of a black and white striped sweater with a Gir designed emblem on the front, along with some ordinary dark blue jeans and his same old Timbs. In his shirt pocket rested a single pen which hung by its handle. James was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a cute little teacup on the front that fitted a smiley face, dressed sophisticated, and had a tiny monocle on its right eye. It was standing over the word, "Libertea", which was written in block letters, and was separated by the American colors in three rows. His pants were black and fitting, and he was wearing the same footwear he always does, being mitch-matched shoes.

James checked his phone or any signs of Frasier, making constant boops at the sound of dialing numbers. No avail. "I guess he reallllllllllllllllllllly wants to lecture us in person. Maybe he's leading us to our untimely Halloween deaths, oooooh spooooky. It's even scarier when it's six--seven, five I don't know--months late"

"I mean, we just met the guy two days ago" Luzean mentioned. "Minus the unholy spookiness of your premonition, it could be entirely possible that he's grooming us in this organization to fucking snap our necks when we aren't looking." Luzean scratched a spot on his head as he looked off at any potential houses that Frasier was located at. "How's that for a mentor. One that clotheslines you when you're just vibing. He probably hunts mammoths."

"You would know. You've only just entered the stone age like last week. That or you're just a lucky survivor of natural selection. Not by any stretch of skill but because one of your unsuspecting orangutang brethren happened to be in the way every time you get shot at by a remote spear on your way to planting barren, shit-dirt crops and eating tapeworm infested deer"

"Fuck yourself. You probably lick doorknobs and cook pretzels in the name of God, attempting to escape the grasp of the nether realm because of your chronic opioid addiction and ungodly habits of pouring crystallized milk into fertile cat litter to summon a dragqueen succubus whose sole purpose of existence is to be willing to play video games by your side to mask your lack of masculinity, embarrassingly puny microstock and lack of social ethics or common human decency along with your excessive weight gain and grossly out of proportion growth of acne as a result of masturbation withdraw symptoms."

They stared at each other in a poker fashion. 

"How do you cook pretzels anyway?"

"Throw me into the pits of the void if I know" Luzean looked downwards for a few moments and looked back up.

Ding

James looked at his phone which showed a message. "To your left, and behind the house"

The house in the subject was a large single-family home, three stories high and entirely pink in color. It looked extremely worn and had long vines and leaves growing on it from the lack of plant care, causing them to overgrow. Around the house was a gate with no door, so the two opted to jump over it. James attempted but got his pants caught and slipped over. Luzean jumped onto the gate with a grip and hoped to the other side seamlessly. He baited James a helping hand, pulling it away.

The two then stepped over hoses and an odd pile of forks, walking along a narrow path of pavement which leads to an out of place garage. Next to the garage was a bounce house, where a light-emitting could be seen from the inside, though divided due to the net of the bounce house walls. "Molto epic," James said.

The two crawled into the bounce house, surprised to see that all but a portion of the floor had been replaced with hardwood and that the bare spot had a blanket and a pillow. Beside that was a minifridge, a working computer, tons of wires and game consoles, and some scattered books, many of which looked religious or philosophical, others crude and humorous. The computer had a slide-out piano under the keyboard. The net walls also have had a blind built into them, allowing Frasier to ensure his privacy at any time. On the ceiling was a partial recreation of the Sistine Chapel, and a large metal beam that had tons of clothes hanging from it. In the corner towards the right were a large laundry bag and an uncomfortably huge stack of wire hangers. There was a globe beside the computer that had a huge line connecting a bunch of locations, along with some corresponding dates. On the wall was a calendar with certain dates marked, along with various tally marks and what seemed to be a score sheet. In short, the home was an organized mess. Luzean attempted to lean against one of the supposedly soft walls but was instead greeted by the sturdiness of cement. The bounce house was hardly a bounce house at all. James tapped his foot at the naked section of the floor, revealing that it was the only part of the bounce house actually filled with air.

"Is that the fucking sixteenth chapel?" Luzean asked. It sounded like a statement.

"Yeah," Frasier responded. "Gotta wonder about the fifteenth or the first. That house in front of us is my mother's house. She always wants me around so I decided to build my base right here."

"Frasier, this is the coolest fucking place I've ever seen," James said with excitement, in awe at everything around him. "But what'd you bring us here for?"

Frasier shifted his chair back to shift their attention towards his screen. It was a stolen movie chair found at cinemas. 

What was revealed on the screen was what looked like a large tournament set, but upon further inspection, it is revealed to be a large layout of the numerous factions and members of the organization. Frasier turned toward the boys and lifted a stick with a pointed glove at the end of it, sticking the index finger at a certain area with their names. "What you're seeing right now is a diagram of the organization, where all it's members, factions and executives rank and stack up against the rest." Frasier circled around the area of their names. "This is where we are, wayyy toward the bottom. After previous members were killed off, I and Brett dropped substantially in the ranks, being demoted as assassins despite still grasping the trust of the boss." Frasier put the pointer down. "Now I know you may think that you're invincible somehow, that with these new allergies and new abilities, you're somehow gonna be protected for the rest of your life, but that's not at all true. The actions we've been committing these last few days have put us in an extremely rough spot." Frasier pressed the space bar, which altered the diagram on the screen, revealing several red lines directed at their faction. "The 'college bombing', the massacre at James' family reunion, the destruction of my helicopter, the random destruction of property at James' school... we can't do actions like this and leave without consequence. Dozens of [ **Esc] REALITY** members are starting to close in on us. While these acts increase our reputation, that also puts more worth to our names. If those other gang members manage to take a jab at us, they rise up, and we continue to plummet."

Luzean sat on a bean bag while James leaned against the wall, legs crossed.

"Don't take this wrong though, the boss finds this kind of behavior impressive, and it's what we're rewarded off of. But when you guys put your identity at this much risk, then you'll only be dragged into the organization that much more." Frasier opened another tab, revealing an archived news forecast, aired the previous day.

What was shown was a young, blonde weather lady dressed in blue, standing beside a series of photos as she commented over them. "Luckily the gorilla was taken back to safety as PETA rescuers came to the scene, and evacuated the poor ape from its several years of cruel confinement. I'm Jennifer Lawrence, and here's John Hughes with the following." It cut to a blading fit man wearing a black suit and tie over a white dress shirt. "Hello, everyone. I am John Hughes with your 7 o'clock news, with reports of social riots and religious fanaticism breaking from the recent rise of unexplained chaotic events, such as the fires of Vincity University of Springfield Massachusetts, the crashing of an unoccupied helicopter in the middle of Springfield Plaza, and the numerous lives lost at the home of Mrs. Cloe Richmond during a New Year's breakfast. It cut to Mrs. Cloe sobbing attempting to explain the situation. "I w-went outside for just a few mi-mi-minutes to finish cooking some food for the kitchen, but all I saw when walking back in were the bodies of my nieces, nephews, children siblings. I stepped back outside and couldn't blink. I was sure I had been goin' crazy, but after confirming my vision after walking back in, I cried my heart out to God and fainted. I didn't think I was goin' to wake back up, I figured I'd become one of them, but h-here I am." We at Channel 9 news send our fullest regards to Mrs. Cloe and her family, and a fundraiser has been started to support the loss and needs of the Richmond family, and you can learn to support the family at our website, www.spwm.org. . These recent atrocities have formed a cult going by the name of, Second Coming, believing this is a sign from God that humanity is coming to an end as a result of the second coming of Christ. These people have been seen acting out in violence over debaters, forming protests in the streets, and hanging fliers and recruitment cards on doors of homes, cars, and stores. Another recent uprising comes in the form of greater hope, being the Infinite Lexicon, previously a business dedicated to discovering new medication and nursing technologies, are under the impression that the organization, **[Esc] REALITY** is somehow responsible for the seemingly supernatural events occurring. They will be hunting down and locating any potential members, in hopes of interrogating and jailing found convicts. They are developing a technology called, 'Scandy', a device speculated to work as a replicator for the inner workings of **[Esc] REALITY**. The head of this newly formed alliance is executive officer, Wellington White, brother of the recently fallen Maurice White, his son Princey White, along with trusted acquaintances and foreign input. The destroyed helicopter had millions of yellow dandelions flying from its doors, floating down into the Springfield Plaza area. This section of the city has since been condemned and all dandelions fallen have been gathered and taken into InFlex's HQ. This is, however, all the information we're given, and all investigative information will be locked under InFlex under the security of the American Government. They send their intentions off with one message; "Members of **[Esc] REALITY** , hold on to your delusions. You'll be more comfortable that way." Any information leading to the arrest of members will be greatly appreciated, and 1,000 dollar cash prizes will be given out to each whistleblower. By extension, anyone who wants to admit their inclusion, as well as information pertaining to the boss and or persons of the organization, will be given a minimal sentence and potential reward. It is recommended you do not comply with any **[Esc] REALITY** offerings, products, or businesses.

"Holy fucking shit..." James said softly.

Luzean looked just as shifted.

"Luzean, isn't Princey our goddamn valedictorian?"

"Yup...same kid who's studying law as a profession..."

"Not only that but isn't your mother-"

"A member of InFlex? She is."

"Fellas," Frasier added himself in and leaned forwards. "This kind of risk can easily get us up the ranks, but we must, I repeat, we must get away with future business smoothly."

~~

"What're you doing up there you goddamn druggie?" An officer called out to Brett who was crouching at the top of Burger King, with the stolen Spongebob inflatable in hand.

"I ain't no goddamn druggie you goddamn one-time." Brett dragged himself down the roof, hung by the ledge, and landed on the ground, slightly scraping his hands. "Don't you cops have all the persecuted drugs stored away in the depths of your clay-protected prisons anyway? I'm starting to question who's the real druggie here with all the crack your holding, especially the one hanging from your trousers, old man." The cop was middle-aged but had a head of silver hair. Brett double-checked his phone, " **18:50 - We leave from Burger King, check out the food and have the bite over by Kenefick Park.** " The time is 18:43. Brett began to think to himself "I know I don't need to abide by the schedule, but if I don't make this happen by that time, my integrity for Natalie's burning superstition is gonna' eat at me...I'll probably be blown down by this cop for being a second too late..." Despite knowing missing the time won't actually do anything to him, a lingering dread filled his stomach as if something horrible would happen if he did miss it. That drive to be on time made him feel like a miracle would happen if it did.

While Brett stood surfing in his head, the cop had gotten closer to Brett. "You planning on stealing this inflatable?"

"Yes," Brett turned around and looked past the highways, trees, and into the horizon where he could see a train passing, and making that iconic honk. "Damn, I never get to see the train pass by here. I'd love to see it up close."

"Are you on drugs, sir?"

"Wha? No you fucking buster. Goddamn, does my natural state really give off freaky vibes?"

"Raise your arms, sir"

Brett did as proposed, and the officer checked under his coat and underarms, where he found several bags of cocaine, condoms, needles, and crystal meth.

"Hey, I just do the selling."

The Officer quickly put his hand at his hoister, beginning his sentence to interrogate Brett, but found no pistol in its place. 

Natalie came from the inside of Burger King and stood in complete confusion. The sight was marvelous. "Brett what the fuck are you-"

"Mr. Bizzie, your goddamn gun is on the ground behind you. I have nothing, so go on and pick it up. You caught me red-handed so it's only fair."

The officer walked back toward the gun, flicking his head back every few seconds to look at Brett. Brett then looked upwards, releasing he was standing under the roof where no light was cast. He then took a few steps toward the right, now standing under the large street light, which brought to life Brett's Enlongated shadow, extending just far enough for his shadow to grab the gun itself. That some gun then appeared back into Brett's grasp. Just kidding this is totally mine. I guess you left yours in your car, how sad. You must fucking suck at your job buddy."

"P-Put the gun down!!" The officer yelped and reached for his walkie talkie, which Brett took a shot at in an attempt to destroy it, but instead ended up accidentally shooting the car behind him because of his god-awful aim. Nonetheless, it scared the officer enough to jump back and roll onto the ground. His weight crushed the antenna on the walkie-talkie.

The gun was slid back to the officer in a supposed act of empathy or submission. Brett and Natalie were standing by Brett's trunk, where they were then grabbing something. The officer attempted to shoot warning shots but found that Brett had taken all the bullets and replaced them with spitballs. God fucking dammit.

Brett then pulled out two gymnasium scooters from his car, one green and one yellow. he left the trunk open and dropped the scooter onto the ground. "NO FUCKING WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY." Natalie's face began to glow up as she realized what they were about to do. "See you on the other side, brother. And by that, I mean down the street." And with the closing of that sentence, Brett and Natalie were flying down the cramped street, squatting and pushing away on the scooters and holding on the handles on the side, but getting the courage to stand up. Natalie had put the burger king into a little webbed bag from her spiders, and Brett had tied the Spongebob inflatable around his waist, causing it to fly behind him, bouncing off various buildings and garbage barrels. Brett checked his watch. "18:46".

The officer ran over to the car to photograph the license plate but came to see it says nothing but, "Big Fat Meanie" with a crude drawing of Mrs. Puff beside it. He then turned his attention to what was inside the trunk, revealing a ton of SMGs and other automatic weapons. There was a little note to be found, and it looked hastily written. "Take one ;p".

The two were now speeding down a huge ramping street, going full force ahead into the area of the Police Station. Farther down ahead, a construction site could be seen. The air felt like was howling and the combination of the light snow and heavy wind made their faces feel like ice. After swerving and dodging various squirrels, traffic cones, potholes, and plastic bags, the two finally made at the bottom of the street, where the area was now flat, but they've arrived at the Police Station. To their left was the station itself, where beside it an entire section was dedicated to these tall white tents. To their right was a huge parking lot, where hundreds of police cars slept. Both sides of the street had sidewalks and some grass, but near past that, the areas were gated off. The two slowed down drastically with the reduction of speed on the flat plain, so they squatted down and pushed behind them in order to get small bursts of speed. In the influx of cars, small conversations could be heard. Ones of gossip and brief lewd comments. As Natalie and Brett rolled down the street, they found various bottles scattered alongside the pavement, and homeless people sleeping by the steps of the Police Department, or taking cans and bottles from the ground. 

The silence wouldn't last long though, as the officer could be heard storming down the street behind him. "Natalie" Brett said silently. "What'd you get for food?" She opened the bag. "I got myself the onion rings and zesty sauceeee :D and I got you the BK Burger Shots...With bacon no less bitchhh!!!!" Brett wanted to cry, he was smiling so hard. Immediately after Brett scarfed down a Burger shot, and waited for his allergy to develop. After some waiting, nothing happened. "What does it take to fucking satisfy you???" Brett scarfed down 3 three more, and finally, his shadow emerged and took form itself.

"????????" Natalie was incredibly confused. Brett took note of this.

"Yeah, I have to feed my goddamn shadow for him to comply. I don't even get to taste it myself, all the nutrition and shit goes to him. What a fucking scam, right?" Brett than rolled a can of ginger-ale from underneath his sleeve and popped open the side with his teeth, causing the built-up carbonation to burst into his mouth. He swallowed all the soda with two good gulps. "He's stubborn as shit too. Motherfucker only accepts Schweppe's Gingerale, and he needs a little savory and some sweetness." Around him, the various shadow was stolen from their home objects and started traveling with Brett, including the shadows of birds in the sky, ones of bottles, razors, straws, and raccoons. The objects were left with no shadow to call their own and looked incredibly off as a result. "But when you feed this fucker, he knows how to do his job."

The police car got closer and at that moment Brett released all his numerous shadows and flung most of them toward the car, causing the windows to break and a tire to rupture. Not to mention a completely mangled front. However, these hindrances didn't stop the persistent cop. In fact, the heavy noise alerted all the other cops in the area, causing a massive alarm to go off seconds later. Natalie turned over her head at Brett in panic. "Brett, what in the cock-gargling fuck are we supposed to do? My spiders are gonna get trampled by this fuckface piece of shit, and his windows are closed so I can't have them crawl inside!!??" Oh shit, she's actually panicking. The police had megaphones and were yelling something like, "stop in the name of the law" but the two cared way too little to actually have it go through their ears as anything more than muffled garbage.

While in her distressed state, Natalie accidentally ran over her finger briefly making her open her mouth but having no yellow, instead of a hasty and vaguely audible cry. She fainted and rolled across the ground from the pain, but in a moment's notice, Brett grabbed her arm and lunged her body into his overpowering grasp.

With Natalie, Burger King, and a gigantic Spongebob inflatable occupying his grasp Brett is unable to hold on to the handles of the scooter, and therefore can't push away with his legs to gather more speed. It looked behind in panic as not only was the police car nearly directly behind him, but the officer was pointing at Brett with his own SMG, the same one from his trunk. He was pointing two, actually. No three. Fuck that, he took every single one. Oh god, no. Behind the police officer were at least a dozen more police cars all speeding this way.

Brett, unable to think of any other solution, stopped the scooter suddenly, and intentionally hit himself with the car, causing him to fly down the street and beside the construction zone. He slid stoic on his back using his shadow, as to not harm Natalie or any of their belongings. In the process, his coat was completely ripped, and he began to scrape and bleed out.

Realizing in full of his shitty situation, Brett got up on his feet immediately, despite the awful pain on his spine. He looked in front of him. There were those dozens of police cars. That's no good. To his right was the PVTA station. To his left was the construction site, and right beside the gate was a porta-potty. Directly in front of him was the train tracks, and the train itself could be heard in the distance. Quickly, he placed everything to instead be in front of the train tracks. 

Natalie woke up, vaguely seeing all the police cars in front of her. She quickly picked up on what was happening and looked around for Brett. "DUDE, BRETT, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU??!!" She looked down and saw the Burger King Bag beside her and noticed the Spongebob inflatable had been tied around her waist. "BRE-"

She heard a repulsive sound come from the porta-potty. "ᴮʳᵉᵗᵗˀ"

...

"ʸᵉˢˀ"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON THE POLICE ARE RIGH-"

"BITCH, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOWWWWW." It seems Brett is taking a shit.

The train becomes louder and gets closer. Its headlights are now visible, and very blinding.

Brett punches the air. Natalie gets a brief view of Brett in the porta-potty. Not only is there no odor, but he isn't even shitting shit...he's shittin...shadows??? And his pants are still on????? Brett Checks his watch. 18:49. "Natalie, come inside this fucking porta-potty!!!!" Natalie spazzed out and went inside accordingly, with the huge Spongebob inflatable hanging out. "NOW YOU BITCH-ASS, BARNEY FUCKING BLUE-COATED BEATMANS BIZZIES, DO YOU WANT TO DIE, OR DO YOU WANT TO FUCKING DIE???" and with the end of that sentence, Brett's shadow punches the porta-potty into position in front of the racing police cars, and a huge shockwave occurs. The porta-potty is shot back the shockwave, causing it and the Spongebob inflatable to narrowly miss being hit by the train. The porta-potty shoots back and nearly topples over, but is saved by a nearby wall of a department store. 

As all the shadows fly back into their original objects, the police cars and other objects in their way are blown out of proportion, sending them flying directly towards the oncoming train, producing a cascading and multiplying explosion. Several police cars attempted to swerve out of the way but were caught in the blast.

The porta-potty is left dormant for a moment. The two then open the door and walk out silently, the train passing by quickly in front of them, and making another incredibly loud honk. 

Natalie and Brett sit in silence. 

"Hey, Brett" Natalie asked. She sounded very worried.

"Yeah?" Brett responds with hesitation.

"Did we just kill all those people?" She sounded extremely uneasy, and certain that just committed an atrocity. 

Brett quickly came up with something. "You think either of us meant to? None of those people would have died if that train didn't come rushing in from behind us."

"That's...true..." Natalie thought solemnly. "I think that makes me feel better." She didn't sound honest about it.

"They had it coming anyway, Natalie. They shot at us with no justifiable cause." Just then, a green-back spider crawled into Natalie's ear. It strung a web around a certain part of her brain.

"Natalie?"

"Oh, yeah?" She sounded way more optimistic now, like normal again, actually.

"Wait, are you okay now?"

"Yeah lol, I'm just fine Brett." She wasn't faking it. "Look!" She pointed to the left. They made it to Kenefick Park. "We're finally hereee!!!" She took out her phone. "6:50 PMMMMMM!!!! AND WE MADE IT ON TIME BITCHHHHHHHHHH!!!" She ran with her Burger King Bag skipping over to a nearby bench. Brett looked confused but complied.

~~

19:45

Burger King wrappers were spread all over the picnic table, the bags were emptied, other than the straws, napkins, and unfortunate fries stuck at the bottom. The cups were filled only with melted ice. They sat under numerous trees and the only light that could reach them was the deep, bright blue light shining from the waxing gibus and its reflection off the water. The traffic was now much tamer. The bridge to West Springfield only had police cars driving over, as the entryway was blocked off. Behind them, residents from the Plainfield complex go outside to view the scene. 

"Well, Brett...I'm sure as Hell never gonna' forget this night. So you did your job right. C'mere bby." She pulled his jacket in and gave him a wholesome, soft kiss. 

"I haven't gotten planted with one of those in a while"

"Yeah, you better not have, fucking bitch. Only I get to lay these plentiful little presents on your crackhead lips."

"Would you believe me if I said I never had any drugs in my life?"

"No, I wouldn't"

"But I haven't"

"Love is the strongest drug there is, dummy."

"o///o"

"Kill yourself"

"Wanna see something cool? I've been hiding this."

"Hmmmmm, okay, sure."

In the sky, a ton of Brett's shadow birds were caring for Brett's car downwards to their location. It had a slow and peaceful decent, but it abruptly crashed onto the ground after the birds were too worn out to carry it any longer, which startled both Natalie and Brett.

After shaking off the spooks, Brett got up and opened the locked up fridge tied to the roof of his car, revealing a little baby ferret. The refrigerator was completely emptied to make room for a small bed, food, water, light, and restroom for the ferret. "Your first illegal pet, stolen from the depths of the zoo."

"GOOOODDDDDDDDD IT'S SO CUTE WTF OMG I LOVE IT SO MUCH I'M GONNA NAME IT---- I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA NAME IT. FERRET 2, YEAH THAT'S IT HAHAHAHA I FORGOT I ALREADY HAVE ONE. NOW I CAN MAKE THEM BREEEED."

"You already have a fucking ferret?"

~~

20:04

Brett had just released Natalie from the car. She walked around Brett's car before nearly being run over flat by a coming vehicle. "Oh, goddamn." She then went to the window. "Thank you for tonight, Brett. It sucked like shit at first but it ended up being the coolest, most fucking retardedly epic day of my life. So far. I don't know how we can top this."

"We can top it with hardcore sex, bro"

"Die"

"Love you."

"Hehehehehehehehhehehehehehehe okay, I love you too, faggot <3" She walked off to her house, flipping through every single key and trying it at least once. She kept struggling before realizing she was turning the key the wrong way. After opening the door she turned around and waved to Brett goodbye. 

Brett drove off several streets away. Despite everything that happened, he drove at a steady pace and turned on the radio. _Stacy's Mom_ had just finished playing. Then tuned in the voice of a seemingly mature woman, who still sounded a bit young. "Hey everyone, this is your host DJ Kim, or as some fans like to call me, DJ Kimbini for some reason." She giggled at herself. "I hope everyone's having a slow, relaxing night. I know it's the middle of the week, but try to drag it on. Let's pray that no snow falls and no snow shoveling slave labor will commence. I know these days it feels like we're always in danger, but keep your head up strong and block out all those peanut butter thoughts, because like your tongue, they stick to your damn head. We need to have more jelly thoughts, ones that are sweet, ones that we come back looking forward to. But sometimes also, having a mix of the two, coming to terms with both sides, makes the situation taste that much better."

~~

Brett snooped beside Baystate hospital, looking for a specific window. He found it nearly immediately, as the front of the window has pink letter stickers, spelling out, "CASSY!" It was on the second floor, so Brett ran back, jumped onto the wall, and did a jump off the wall itself to gain more height, and latch on to the window. The window slid open horizontally, and he climbed in.

The room was quiet and only lit up by the little lamp in the corner of the room. There were My Little Pony designs plastered all over the striped walls. Outside in the hallway, the label, "Baystate hospital mental ward" could be read. In the middle of the room were a short woman with glasses, long dirty blonde hair, and very light skin. She emitted the smell of rain.

"Hey, Cassandra. It's finally fricken' Monday. Everything feeling alright?"

~~End of _Portable_ ~~


End file.
